Bangladeshi project ‘A Journey Never Told’ selected for New Zealand’s Doc Edge Lab

Bangladeshi documentary "A Journey Never Told", directed by Sharmin Doja, has been officially selected for the prestigious Doc Edge Lab in New Zealand. Known for her work as a boom operator and live sound recordist, Sharmin has garnered praise for excelling in a field still largely inaccessible to women in Bangladesh. With this project, she now aims to bring Bangladeshi cinema to the international stage as a director.

The documentary explores the post-retirement life of an elderly man who, despite living with family, finds himself increasingly isolated. Inspired by her own father's experiences, Sharmin portrays how ageing often leads to a quiet emotional distance from loved ones. 

"Due to his hearing loss, my father gradually became disconnected from both family and society. That deeply personal experience compelled me to tell this story," she shared.

Sharmin described the Doc Edge Lab as a vital platform for independent filmmakers around the world, where selected participants pitch their documentary ideas. Strong concepts may receive support for pre-production, shooting, and post-production costs.

"This lab has given me an invaluable experience," Sharmin said. "We often hear about large production companies and funding agencies that support indie filmmakers. This time, I got the opportunity to pitch in front of them as a filmmaker from Bangladesh. Though we didn't win an award, the learning and exposure were immensely rewarding."

Key industry stakeholders from platforms like NHK Japan, New Zealand Film Commission, Screen Australia, Umbrella Entertainment, Australian Documentary Conference, DOK Leipzig, and the Chinese Doc Forum were present during the event.

The documentary is being produced by sound designer Masrur Masud—better known as Nahid Masud, Sharmin's husband and the brother of late filmmaker Tareque Masud.

Nahid Masud remarked, "There was significant interest among international producers, broadcasters, and festival directors in our project, mainly because they rarely come across films from Bangladesh. This opened up discussions on our industry's challenges and limitations. Connecting with the global film community in this way is a major step forward and will certainly ease the path for future projects."

Sharmin Doja and Nahid Masud travelled to New Zealand on June 25 to participate in the final pitching session of Doc Edge. This year, 23 projects from different countries were selected. The pitching programme began on June 30 and will continue until July 13, with final pitch awards set to be announced next week.

Earlier, "A Journey Never Told" also won an award at the DocLab section of the Dhaka International Film Festival.