Jan. 01, 2012|Bangladesh|90 Min.|Not Rated
Genre: Bangla;Documentary;Drama
Description: **Are You Listening! – Overview**
“Are You Listening!” (original title in Bengali: শুনতে কি পাও!) is a unique Bangladeshi film blending fiction and non-fiction, crafted by writer and director Kamar Ahmad Simon. It premiered as the “Opening Film” at the Open Doors Screening of the LOCARNO Film Festival and has been featured in over 40 international festivals, including the prestigious “Official Selection” at the 25th IDFA, the world’s largest documentary festival, and the “Opening Film” at the 55th Dok Leipzig, one of the oldest documentary festivals. The film has also been shown at special events such as the Conference of Youth in Paris and the Royal Anthropological Institute in London.
In an unconventional approach, it was released in Bangladeshi theaters on February 21, 2014, at Bashundhara Star Cineplex, where it enjoyed a successful four-week run. The film garnered the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Feature (Non-fiction) in 2015, presented by Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Kamar spent 20 months filming in a remote coastal village in the Sundarbans, adopting an observational style influenced by cinéma vérité, a genre that was largely absent in Bangladeshi cinema. His journey began in December 2009 when he explored the coastal regions of Bangladesh over a three-month period, engaging local communities in informal discussions while navigating the aftermath of a tidal surge that had devastated the coast. These conversations shaped the screenplay, as Kamar returned to those locations to deepen the narrative. The film’s development was supported by two competitive grants from the Jan Vrijman Fund in 2010, and Kamar further refined his vision through participation in the IDFA Academy Summer School. In 2011, the concept received the award for Best Pitch at the Asian Forum for Documentary in Kolkata.
Cast director: Kamar Ahmad Simon
Original name: Shunte Ki Pao!