The Bangladeshi short film Ali, directed by Adnan Al Rajeev and written by Filipino filmmakers Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero, received Special Mention for Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival on May 25, Philippine time.
Belarmino and Romero were also part of the official short film lineup with their own short film, Agapito.
Kristine De Leon co-produced the film with Tanveer Hossain, making it a collaboration between Bangladesh and the Philippines. De Leon also produced Belarmino’s short film Radikals, which was part of the 2024 Critics’ Week sidebar. Rajeev and Hossain were also the co-producers of Radikals.
Ali is about a teenager joining a singing competition for a chance to move to the city.
The prestigious Palme d’Or for Short Film — the grand prize — was won by I’m Glad You’re Dead Now, a co-production between Palestine, France, and Greece.
“To Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Romero — thank you for trusting me with your words. Your screenplay didn’t just tell a story — it built the world of ALI. Arvin, your wild fire lit this journey. You’re a gem,” Rajeev said on his Instagram post announcing the inclusion of the film at Cannes.
At the awards press conference, Rajeev was asked about the role of the Philippines in making Ali. He said, “The Philippines actually played a great role because one of the producers, Kristine, she’s from the Philippines, so she’s been a great friend. And also the [screenwriters], Arvin and Kyla, they were amazing as friends.”
“We [also] got post-production support from the Philippines as well. We have done [the] sound, we have done the grading, because Bangladesh doesn’t have the post-production system. So it was [a] great effort, great support by them. Yes, I’m really grateful.”
The Special Mention for Short Film Prize is awarded to the entire film.
Ali is the first Bangladeshi film to compete in the short film category at the Cannes Film Festival. The first Bangladeshi film to compete in the Official Lineup was Rehana Maryam Noor, in the Un Certain Regard category in 2021. The film Matir Moina competed in the independent sidebar, Director’s Fortnight, in 2002.
The first Filipino film to win the Palme d’Or for Short Film was Raymond Red’s Anino in 2000. The film stars Ronnie Pulido, Ronnie Lazaro, John Arcilla, Ermie Concepcion, and Eddie Garcia.
