When “Saatao” began, it had no stars, no studio backing, and no guarantee of a single screen. What it had was a story—and a filmmaker willing to trust the public with it. Years later, that gamble has paid off. The crowdfunded independent film has won Best Film at the National Film Awards 2023, while its director Khandaker Sumon claimed Best Director and lead actor Aynun Putul won Best Actress, her first national honour.
For Bangladesh’s independent cinema, the win is more than symbolic. It marks a rare moment when a film born outside the industry’s power centres forces its way to the top.
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Sumon, a filmmaker from Lalmonirhat, began developing “Saatao” in 2016. Set in the Rangpur region, the film tells the story of farmers, motherhood, and the emotional lives of people pushed to the margins. Sumon knew the risks. Realist cinema without marketable stars rarely attracts producers or distributors. Still, he chose to pursue a grounded, life-driven narrative rather than an easier commercial route.
With no production house willing to invest, Sumon turned to the public. He pitched the film not to executives but to ordinary people, explaining why the story mattered. Contributions came in small amounts—100 taka, 500, 5,000—slowly building the budget. The crowdfunding campaign became more than a financial exercise; it was a collective act of belief.
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Production ended, but the struggle did not. The director faced prolonged bureaucratic hurdles while seeking censor clearance. He was asked to submit layers of paperwork and was informed of high, unexplained costs. With no clear justification offered, Sumon eventually wrote to the Prime Minister’s Office. Following intervention from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the film received clearance after payment of only the official fees.
Release brought another barrier. Without stars, many theatres refused to screen “Saatao”. The irony became evident when the film won Best Film in the Bangladesh Panorama section at the Dhaka International Film Festival. Standing on that stage, Sumon publicly spoke about a film winning awards while failing to secure halls—an experience familiar to many independent filmmakers.
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Festival recognition began to shift attitudes. Chattogram’s Sugandha Cinema Hall was the first to screen the film. It was followed by Star Cineplex at Bashundhara City, Blockbuster Cinemas at Jamuna Future Park, and Shapla Cinema Hall in Rangpur. The release remained limited, but the film finally reached audiences.
Promotion mirrored the film’s ethos. The director, cast and crew pasted posters by hand across Karwan Bazar, Nilkhet and Dhaka University, often late at night. In Rangpur, the film was announced through loudspeakers. It was a grassroots campaign driven by necessity, not marketing budgets.
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The title “Saatao” comes from Rangpur dialect, referring to days of relentless rainfall. The metaphor runs through the film. Its narrative revolves around agrarian survival, maternal resilience and the everyday joys and sorrows of rural life. Aynun Putul and Fazlul Haque deliver restrained performances that give the film emotional weight without spectacle.
“Saatao” has travelled across festivals at home and abroad, collecting accolades along the way. But the national awards mark its most decisive arrival. Since the announcement, discussion has spread across social media and critical circles. Many see the recognition not merely as a victory for one film, but as a message: stories rooted in lived reality may be delayed, dismissed, or obstructed—but they do not vanish. They wait. And sometimes, they break through.
