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RECOGNITIONS

HONORS/AWARDS

GRANTS

SPECIAL INVITATIONS

HONORS/AWARDS

•     Audience Favorite Award, Mill Valley Film Festival (A Double Life), 2023

•     Best Long Format Documentary, Kathmandu Folk Film Festival (Muktir Gaan), 2016
•     Nominee & Finalist, Vera List Prize of New School for Social Research, 2014
•     Copeland Fellow, Artist-in-Residence at Amherst College, 2013
•     Outstanding American Alumni Award, American Alumni Assoc Dhaka, 2013
•     Ekushey Award, Highest civilian Honor (posthumous for Tareque Masud), 2012
•     Chief Guest, Film South Asia (Kathmandu), 2011
•     Best Film, Meril-Prothom Alo Awards (Runway) 2010
•     Best Direction, International Film Festival Bangladesh (Ontorjatra) 2006
•     Special Jury Award, Osian’s Cinefan Festival Delhi (Ontorjatra) 2006
•     Best Film, Bangladesh Film Journalists Assoc. (Matir Moina) 2003
•     Best Film, Channel I Film Awards (Matir Moina) 2003
•     Best Film, Karafilm Festival, Pakistan (Matir Moina) 2003
•     Jury Prize, International Video Festival of India (A Kind of Childhood) 2003
•     FIPRESCI International Critics’ Prize, Cannes Film Festival (Matir Moina) 2002
•     Best Screenplay, Marakesh Int'l Film Festival (Matir Moina) 2002
•     The Oscars: Best Foreign Language Film Competition, Bangladesh’s first official entry in            Academy Awards competition (Matir Moina) 2002
•     Best Narrative Documentary, Three Continents Fest. Buenos Aires (Muktir Kotha) 2002
•     Special Jury Prize, Festival of South Asian Documentaries, Nepal (Muktir Gaan), 1997
•     Best Film, Bangladesh Film Journalists Association (Muktir Gaan) 1996
•     National Award for Documentary (Muktir Gaan), 1996
•     Tarokalok Award for Short Film, 1996
•     Top Ten Women of Bangladesh, Anannya Magazine, 1996

GOVT & FOUNDATION GRANTS

•     Kitchings Foundation (US) grant for post-production of A DOUBLE LIFE, 2021

•     Jonathan Logan Foundation (US) grant for production of A DOUBLE LIFE, 2018

•     VCFA (US) grant for production of A DOUBLE LIFE, 2017

•     National Film Grant (BD) award for production of KAGOJER PHUL, 2012

•     US Embassy/State Dept. grant for countrywide film distribution, 2011-12

•     FCO Commonwealth Grant (UK) for production of RUNWAY, 2008

•     UNESCO grant for research on the British East India Company, 2007

•     DFID (UK) grant for documentary production THE ROAD TO KANSAT, 2007 

•     Hubert Bals Fund (Netherlands) grant for screenplay of ONTORJATRA, 2004

•     Ford Foundation/BD Freedom Foundation grant for MATIR MOINA (The Clay Bird), 2001

•     DFID (UK) grants for documentary production A KIND OF CHILDHOOD, 2001

•     South Fund (France) award for the production of MATIR MOINA (The Clay Bird), 2000

•     Ford Foundation grant for distribution of MUKTIR GAAN (Song of Freedom), 1996

SPECIAL INVITATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

  • Strassler Center, Clark University: Invited to give talk on "Human Rights Archives,Visual Storytelling, and Transformative Education." Nov 2023.

  • Mill Valley Film Festival: Selection of "A Double Life" for premiere at internationally renowned film festival. Oct 2023.

  • Northeast Human Rights Film Festival: Invited to present on panel on "Innovating Impact: Films for Social Change." May 2023

  • Evolving Landscapes of Human Rights: Invited to present at special session on "Engaging the Human Rights Archive at the Dodd Center for Human Rights." March 2023.

  • DOC NYC Only in NY: Invited for competitive round-table pitch session with major broadcasters/streamers for "A Double Life." Nov 2021

  • Int'l Assoc of Genocide Scholars Conference 2021: Chair and Moderator of Plenary Panel on "Projections of War: Cinematic Representations of Bangladesh's Independence." July 2021.

  • Liberation DocFest Bangladesh 2021: Guest of Honor at Closing Ceremony, June 2021.

  • Birmingham Museum/Bengal Foundation: Invited speaker for panel discussion on "Resilience, Rights and Roles of Bangladeshi Women Since 1971." March 2021. 

  • Chobi Mela 2021: Invited speaker on "Contemporary Dissent: Echoes of the 80s." Feb. 2021.

  • UConn Human Rights Film Series: Presentation of “Threads” and post-screening  discussion with Director Cathy Stevulak and Co-Producer Catherine Masud. Sept 2019.

  • UConn Human Rights Institute Lecture: “Open Spaces and Political Divides: Road Safety, Dissent, and Digital Media in Bangladesh.” April 2019.

  • Norian Conference Presentation: Presented at annual UConn-affiliated conference; screened 3-minute film compilation of student animations based on 100-year old Armenian photography archive. March 2019.

  • UConn Human Rights Film Series: Invited Filmmaker, UConn Human Rights Institute for 3-part film screening & discussion program. Fall 2016.

  • University of Kentucky: Invited Lecturer (“Bahas: Divided Identity and Cinema in Bangladesh”), U of K Dept. of Anthropology. November 2016.

  • Polytechnic School (LA): Invited speaker (“A Journey in Filmmaking”), Global Initiatives Lecture Series at leading private high school, November 2016.

  • New York University: Invited to present retrospective session of films by Tareque & Catherine Masud, Tisch School of the Arts (NYU). April 2013.

  • Amherst College: Screening presentation and discussion of THE CLAY BIRD attended by 5-College faculty and students, February 2013. 

  • University of Chicago: Invited to speak and present films at 3-day program by the Nicholson Center for British Studies, March 2013.

  • South Asian Children’s Cinema Forum (SACCF): Founding member, Advocacy Head, participated as Bangladesh representative at round table hosted by the International Film Festival of Kerala. December of 2012 and 2013.

  • Film South Asia Documentary Festival, Kathmandu: Chief Guest of leading South Asian documentary film festival. Gave festival opening address on “Total Filmmaking.” Sept 2011.

  • Cyprus Children’s Film Festival: Guest of Honor, children’s filmmaking workshop leader, with participation by children from Greek & Turkish Cyprus, held in UN buffer zone. Nov 2008.

  • Tri-Continents Film Festival Dhaka: Convener of international film festival of films from Africa, Asia and Latin America. September 2007.

  • British Museum, London: Invited to present two films, Matir Moina and Ontorjatra, as part of special exhibition on Art of Bengal. October 2006.

  • Columbia University: Invited by Lincoln Center Film Society Director and Columbia Film Studies Professor Richard Pena to present films and lead discussion with students in day-long special program, 2004.

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