<p>The 74th Cannes Film Festival is inching towards its finale and the much-coveted awards are hours away from being handed out. One filmmaker who is in with a fair chance of springing a surprise is Bangladesh's Abdullah Mohammad Saad, the only South Asian with a title in the competitive Un Certain Regard section.</p>.<p>Saad's sophomore venture, <em>Rehana Maryam Noor,</em> which premiered in early in ongoing festival, made a strong impression. The fate of the 20 films that constitute the section will be decided by a five-member jury headed by English filmmaker Andrea Arnold.</p>.<p>PTI caught up with Saad to talk about his film, the first-ever from Bangladesh to make it to the Cannes Film Festival’s official selection.</p>.<p>“For me, it's a great honour and a huge inspiration,” he says.</p>.<p>The only Bangladeshi film to have been screened in Cannes before <em>Rehana Maryam Noor </em>was Tareque Masud’s<em> Matir Moina</em>, but it was in Directors’ Fortnight in 2002.</p>.<p>The director sees the Cannes slot for <em>Rehana Maryam Noor </em>as a major shot in the arm, as much for him as for Bangladeshi cinema as a whole.</p>.<p>"Making a film requires so much sacrifice. So, when something like this happens, it really helps you to carry on," says the 36-year-old director who debuted in 2016 with the critically-acclaimed <em>Live From Dhaka</em>.</p>.<p>“For my country, it meant a lot. Especially because it's our 50 years of independence. I am sure our filmmakers will keep making brilliant films and we will be regular in the Cannes selection from the next year,” he adds.</p>.<p>How did Saad pack so much power in a film as understated as<em> Rehana Maryam Noor</em>? It's really hard to explain,” he says. “I guess it is because I always prefer to leave space for my audiences to have their own interpretation. I don't try to confirm any particular feelings nor convince them how must they think about my characters.”</p>.<p>Besides Saad, team <em>Rehana Maryam Noor </em>was led on the Cannes red carpet by the film’s lead actor Azmeri Haque Badhon, whose performance as the eponymous character has drawn unstinted praise from critics.</p>.<p>Talking about how he zeroed in on Badhon, Saad says: “During the look test, she was exactly what I had been imagining Rehana to be since the time I started writing the film.”</p>.<p>He adds: “I could feel that she connects with Rehana personally. That's when I became sure of her. She was absolutely committed to this film from day one, opened her heart and soul, and gave it her best.”</p>.<p>Asked about his approach to actors, Saad says: “I try to be specific with my actors and not give them too much information or over-explain an idea. Actors have an innate ability to understand what really a scene requires. I just try to build on that and keep chasing until we hit all the important notes.”</p>.<p>“There wasn't much improvisation,” he continues. “We rehearsed for nine months. Although it's hard to make sudden changes in a tightly knit screenplay, I like to be open while directing on set. If a better approach comes up, I embrace it.”</p>.<p>Did the "Rehana Maryam Noor" idea emerge from real-life experiences? “Yes, it did,” Saad replies. “I write from my personal experiences and things that I have been observing closely in my life.”</p>.<p>On the cinematic influences on him, Saad mentions no specific names. He says: “The idea of wanting to become a filmmaker grew into me very slowly. But later when I started to watch films regularly, I became fond of a lot of filmmakers</p>
<p>The 74th Cannes Film Festival is inching towards its finale and the much-coveted awards are hours away from being handed out. One filmmaker who is in with a fair chance of springing a surprise is Bangladesh's Abdullah Mohammad Saad, the only South Asian with a title in the competitive Un Certain Regard section.</p>.<p>Saad's sophomore venture, <em>Rehana Maryam Noor,</em> which premiered in early in ongoing festival, made a strong impression. The fate of the 20 films that constitute the section will be decided by a five-member jury headed by English filmmaker Andrea Arnold.</p>.<p>PTI caught up with Saad to talk about his film, the first-ever from Bangladesh to make it to the Cannes Film Festival’s official selection.</p>.<p>“For me, it's a great honour and a huge inspiration,” he says.</p>.<p>The only Bangladeshi film to have been screened in Cannes before <em>Rehana Maryam Noor </em>was Tareque Masud’s<em> Matir Moina</em>, but it was in Directors’ Fortnight in 2002.</p>.<p>The director sees the Cannes slot for <em>Rehana Maryam Noor </em>as a major shot in the arm, as much for him as for Bangladeshi cinema as a whole.</p>.<p>"Making a film requires so much sacrifice. So, when something like this happens, it really helps you to carry on," says the 36-year-old director who debuted in 2016 with the critically-acclaimed <em>Live From Dhaka</em>.</p>.<p>“For my country, it meant a lot. Especially because it's our 50 years of independence. I am sure our filmmakers will keep making brilliant films and we will be regular in the Cannes selection from the next year,” he adds.</p>.<p>How did Saad pack so much power in a film as understated as<em> Rehana Maryam Noor</em>? It's really hard to explain,” he says. “I guess it is because I always prefer to leave space for my audiences to have their own interpretation. I don't try to confirm any particular feelings nor convince them how must they think about my characters.”</p>.<p>Besides Saad, team <em>Rehana Maryam Noor </em>was led on the Cannes red carpet by the film’s lead actor Azmeri Haque Badhon, whose performance as the eponymous character has drawn unstinted praise from critics.</p>.<p>Talking about how he zeroed in on Badhon, Saad says: “During the look test, she was exactly what I had been imagining Rehana to be since the time I started writing the film.”</p>.<p>He adds: “I could feel that she connects with Rehana personally. That's when I became sure of her. She was absolutely committed to this film from day one, opened her heart and soul, and gave it her best.”</p>.<p>Asked about his approach to actors, Saad says: “I try to be specific with my actors and not give them too much information or over-explain an idea. Actors have an innate ability to understand what really a scene requires. I just try to build on that and keep chasing until we hit all the important notes.”</p>.<p>“There wasn't much improvisation,” he continues. “We rehearsed for nine months. Although it's hard to make sudden changes in a tightly knit screenplay, I like to be open while directing on set. If a better approach comes up, I embrace it.”</p>.<p>Did the "Rehana Maryam Noor" idea emerge from real-life experiences? “Yes, it did,” Saad replies. “I write from my personal experiences and things that I have been observing closely in my life.”</p>.<p>On the cinematic influences on him, Saad mentions no specific names. He says: “The idea of wanting to become a filmmaker grew into me very slowly. But later when I started to watch films regularly, I became fond of a lot of filmmakers</p>