Molla Sagar
| Molla Sagar | |
|---|---|
| Native name | মোল্লা সাগর |
| Born | 1975 (age 50–51) Fakirhat, Bagerhat District, Bangladesh[1] |
| 🏫 Education | Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka |
| 💼 Occupation |
|
| 📆 Years active | 2002–present |
| Known for | Documentary films on social movements, labour struggles, and ecological relationships |
| 🌐 Website | mollasagar |
Molla Sagar (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.; born 1975) is a Bangladeshi documentary filmmaker, cinematographer and photographer.[2] He has directed documentaries on the Phulbari coal movement, jute mill closures, river-based rituals, and the life of a centenarian model at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.[2][3] Sagar was featured as a Filmmaker in Focus at the 21st Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival, alongside Naeem Mohaiemen.[4][3]
Early life and education
Sagar was born in 1975 in Fakirhat, Bagerhat District, Bangladesh.[1] He grew up on the banks of the Bhairav river.[5] He studied graphic design at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.[2] For eight years, painting was his primary medium of expression. During his second year, he began learning photography and held four solo photography exhibitions.[1]
Career
Documentary filmmaking
Sagar's documentary career began in 2002 with O Pakhi, a film examining the killing of migratory birds in southern Bangladesh.[2][6] He has cited Ritwik Ghatak as an influence on his cinematic approach.[2][7]
Dudh Koyla (also spelled Doodh Koila) (2006–2007) documents the Phulbari coal movement in Dinajpur, focusing on the Santal community whose land was acquired for open-cast mining.[2][4] The film was screened to an audience of over 40,000 people, many from the mining community.[7]
Siren (2012) focuses on the closure of jute mills in Khalishpur, Khulna, and the economic uncertainty faced by workers.[2][4] Gangaburi (2009) documents the ritual of Ganga Puja and the spiritual relationship between people and the Buriganga river.[2][1][4]
Dadu (2016) portrays the life of Momin Ali Mridha, a long-time model at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.[2][8][4]
Bhabar Bhita – The Home That Held Bhaba
Sagar's film Bhabar Bhita (also titled Bhobar Vita and Vober Vita)[citation needed] traces his search for Ritwik Ghatak's ancestral home in Puran Dhaka.[9] He filmed over 250 hours of footage over three years, which he condensed into a 30-minute film.[9] The film had its World Festival Premiere at the 21st Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival in 2026.[4]
Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival 2026
The 21st Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival took place from 20 to 22 March 2026 at The Maltings Cinema at Berwick Barracks and the Town Hall.[3] Sagar was featured as a Filmmaker in Focus at the festival, alongside Naeem Mohaiemen.[4][3] The programme featured five European Premieres, one UK premiere and one World Festival Premiere of their works. Mohaiemen curated a selection of Sagar's films that he considered to be in dialogue with his own, reflecting two decades of friendship and conversation between the two Bangladeshi filmmakers.[4]
Selected screenings and exhibitions
In February 2026, Bengal Foundation screened four of Sagar's films—Dudh Koyla, Siren, Gangaburi, and Dadu—at Bengal Shilpalay in Dhaka.[2][6] In July 2025, Counter Foto exhibited Bhabar Bhita.[9] His film Joy Bangla was screened at the National Museum in 2014 as part of the Shahbag Andoloner Chalochitra event, marking the first anniversary of the Shahbag protests.[10]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | O Pakhi | Debut documentary | [2][7][1] |
| 2003 | Untitled 23 July | [1] | |
| 2004 | Let's go watch a play | [1] | |
| 2006–2007 | Dudh Koyla (also Doodh Koila) | On Phulbari coal movement; European Premiere at BFMAF 2026 | [2][7][4] |
| 2007 | Natives of Tornado | [1][5] | |
| 2009 | Gangaburi | On Buriganga river rituals; European Premiere at BFMAF 2026 | [2][1][4] |
| 2012 | Siren | On jute mill closures | [2][1][4] |
| 2012 | The Ilish | [1][7] | |
| 2013 | Joy Bangla | Screened at Shahbag Andoloner Chalochitra | [10][1] |
| 2016 | Dadu | On Momin Ali Mridha | [2][8][4][1] |
| 2025 | Bhabar Bhita – The Home That Held Bhaba (also Bhobar Vita, Vober Vita) | On Ritwik Ghatak's ancestral home; World Festival Premiere at BFMAF 2026 | [9][4] |
| 2026 | The River Titash | On Malo river community | [5] |
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 "Shohornama Cinema – Ganga Buri". Topography of Mirror Cities. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 "Documentary screenings: Molla Sagar's films on resistance and lived realities". The Daily Star. 8 February 2026. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Coulson, Andrew (26 March 2026). "Residents and visitors enjoy engaging Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival programme". Northumberland Gazette. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 "2026 Focus: Mohaiemen + Sagar". Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival. 4 March 2026. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "The river you never knew, the cinema you were waiting for". The Daily Star. 4 November 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "মোল্লা সাগরের ৪ প্রামাণ্যচিত্র প্রদর্শনী". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 6 February 2026. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Song Narratives: Molla Sagar's Documentary Films". ASAP Connect. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "মোল্লা সাগর-এর চলচ্চিত্র 'দাদু'". Weekly Ekota (in Bengali). 2 August 2026. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Counter Foto exhibits Molla Sagar's documentary film on Ritwik Ghatak". The Daily Star. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Documentary on Shahbag protests screening at National Museum". Dhaka Tribune. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
External links
This article "Molla Sagar" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Molla Sagar. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
