UNESCO honour for Prasun Chatterjee's ‘Dostojee’, bags two prestigious awards

Prasun Chatterjee's critically acclaimed 'Dostojee' continues to fetch accolades and the latest is the prestigious CIFEJ Prize and also the Best Director award at the International Competition section of SIFFCY 2022. The social drama was earlier screened at the 45th Göteborg Film Festival.
The CIFEJ Prize was first created in 1981 to be given to the director of the best film participating in the professional competitive section of the prestigious international children's film festivals.The prize is for the promotion and respect of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child supported by UNESCO.
Earlier, Arif Shaikh, who played one of two friends in 'Dostojee' has bagged the best young actor award in the Child’s Performance at the Olympia Film Festival that was held in Greece.

Speaking about his film’s latest achievement Prasun shared, “As we don't have any stars in our film and it is also true that we didn't need a star as well, that's why getting selected in these important film festivals and winning these prestigious awards really helps to get noticed by the international sales and distribution companies, and also helps to get noticed in our own country.”

‘Dostojee’ is a piercing, poignant tale of two 8-year-old boys in a Murshidabad village trapped in between the hostile climate of religious intolerance. Along with the young protagonists, the two communities and the indifferent village are also the key driving forces in this beautifully crafted Bengali film. ‘Dostojee’ sheds light on friendship and man’s empathy against bigotry but never diverts from highlighting the harsh reality. Locals too portray key roles in the narrative. They give ‘Dostojee’ supreme credibility.