BUSAN -- Bangladeshi director Iqbal H. Chowdhury looked homeward when plotting his first feature film. His hope was that by exploring the unique characters and the cultural nuances of life in and around the town of Banshkhali on the Bay of Bengal, he would give international audiences a completely new look at how life can sometimes be lived in local communities.
The judges at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in October were certainly won over by Chowdhury's "The Wrestler." They handed him the New Currents award -- the first time a Bangladeshi film had won the biggest cash prize given out by Asia's largest and most influential festival. The jury also praised the film for "magically depicting an exciting narrative."
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