Bangladeshi filmmaker Abrar Athar's short film ‘Life in Other Words’ has made a wave in the international film arena. The film tells a rather simple story of a typical Bangladeshi family and captures an honest yet unique glance into middle class Bangladeshi life--their struggles, their simple joys and their collective love for cricket. The way of telling story is highly praised and gained international recognition from some of the best film festivals.

Abrar Athar is a Bangladesh based filmmaker and co-founder of the advertising film Medium Rare. With an eye for breathtaking visuals and a knack for visual comedy, Athar found success directing commercials and TV shows. His offbeat worldview on family values is reflected in his debut short film ‘Life in Other Words,’ a comedy drama exploring the dynamics of a Bangladeshi middle-class family on possibly the worst day of their lives. A film about simple struggles and finding hope in times of despair.

The director said, “'Life in Other Words’ is, before anything, a real story. A real story about real people.” The storytelling has already captivated international media, with several renowned publications highlighting this promising short film. UK Film Review writes “A depiction of family life, filmmaker Abrar Athar's short film, Life in Other Words, is a mischievously enjoyable piece that makes use of charm and comedy, whilst telling multiple narratives in a light hearted manner.”

The director also received admirable recognition from the review, “Great comedy filmmakers are hard to come by and Athar will certainly be one to watch. His timing is excellent, as is his miseen scène, and the variety of filmmaking devices he shows he can utilize well is impressive. What I am trying to say, I guess, is that this is Great in Other Words”.

The film will premiere worldwide at the San Jose International Short Film Festival followed by a screening at the Bahamas International Film Festival, Around International Film Festival in Paris, Gold Movies Awards in London as well as several other reputed film festivals around the world. The film has also been awarded for Best Short and Best Screenplay by The Gold Movie Awards and Best Trailer by Around International Film Festival.

Last weekend, the director and his team attended the 5th Ekadeshma International Short Film Festival in Nepal where the short film was screened. Gaining international recognition for filmmaking is a proud moment not just for the director and his team but the nation’s film industry as a whole.