Tareque Masud (6 December 1956 – 13 August 2011) was a
Bangladeshi independent film director, film producer, screenwriter and lyricist. He first found success with the films ''
Muktir Gaan
''Muktir Gaan'' ( bn, মুক্তির গান ''The Song of Freedom'') is a 1995 Bangladeshi documentary film directed by Tareque Masud and Catherine Masud. This is a documentary film which explores the impact of cultural identity on the ...
'' (1995) and ''
Matir Moina
''Matir Moina'' ( bn, মাটির ময়না; also known in English as ''The Clay Bird'') is a 2002 Bengali War-drama film was written and directed by Tareque Masud. It was his debut feature film. Based on Tareque's story the screenplay ...
'' (2002), for which he won three international awards, including the International Critics'
FIPRESCI
The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for Fédération Internationale de la PRESse CInématographique) is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world fo ...
Prize, in the
Directors' Fortnight
The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) is an independent selection of the Cannes Film Festival. It was started in 1969 by the French Directors Guild after the events of May 1968 resulted in cancellation of the Cannes festi ...
at
2002 Cannes Film Festival
The 55th Cannes Film Festival started on 15 May and ran until 26 May 2002. The Palme d'Or went to the Polish-French-German-British co-produced film '' The Pianist'' directed by Roman Polanski.
The festival opened with '' Hollywood Ending'', direct ...
.
[Official Tareque Masud website]
/ref> The film became Bangladesh's first film to compete for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...
.
Masud died in a road accident on 13 August 2011 while returning to Dhaka from Manikganj
Manikganj is a district situated in Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. Manikganj is one of the green and pollution free towns in Bangladesh. The recent urbanization and highway built joining Dhaka and Shingair Upazilla has given it an outstanding roadv ...
on the Dhaka-Aricha highway after visiting a filming location. Masud was working on '' Kagojer Phool'' (The Paper Flower).
In 2012, he posthumously received Ekushey Padak
Ekushey Padak ( bn, একুশে পদক; lit. "Twentyfirst Award") is the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952. The award is given to recognize contribut ...
, the second highest civilian award of Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mo ...
. In 2013, New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, th ...
Asian/Pacific/American Institute, and South Asia Solidarity Initiative, hosted the first North American retrospective of his films.
Background
Masud was born on 6 December 1956 in Nurpur village, Bhanga Upazila
Bhanga ( bn, ভাঙ্গা) is an upazila of Faridpur District in the Division of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Geography
Bhanga is located at . It has 41463 households and total area 216.34 km2.
Demographics
As of the 1991 Bangladesh census, Bhan ...
, Faridpur District
Faridpur District ( bn, ফরিদপুর জেলা) is a district in south-central Bangladesh. It is a part of the Dhaka Division. It is bounded by the Padma River to its northeast. The district was named after Farīd-ud-Dīn Masʿūd, ...
, East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a Pakistani province established in 1955 by the One Unit Policy, renaming the province as such from East Bengal, which, in modern times, is split between India and Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Myanmar, wit ...
. He grew up in Nurpur village and started his education in an Islamic school (madrasah
Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...
). He studied in the madrassa system for eight years, until the upheaval brought about by the 9-month Liberation War
Wars of national liberation or national liberation revolutions are conflicts fought by nations to gain independence. The term is used in conjunction with wars against foreign powers (or at least those perceived as foreign) to establish separat ...
interrupted his education in 1971. After the war, he entered general education, completing his HSC from Notre Dame College and completed his master's degree in History from the University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...
.
Tareque was involved in the film society movement from his university days and started his first film, '' Adam Surat'' (''The Inner Strength''), a documentary on the Bangladeshi painter SM Sultan
Sheikh Mohammed Sultan ( bn, শেখ মহম্মদ সুলতান; 10 August 1923 – 10 October 1994), popularly known as S M Sultan, was a Bengali decolonial artist who worked in painting and drawing. His fame rests on his striking ...
, in 1982. His 1995 feature-length documentary on the 1971 Liberation War, ''Muktir Gaan
''Muktir Gaan'' ( bn, মুক্তির গান ''The Song of Freedom'') is a 1995 Bangladeshi documentary film directed by Tareque Masud and Catherine Masud. This is a documentary film which explores the impact of cultural identity on the ...
'' (''Song of Freedom''), brought record audiences and became a cult classic. He also made many other films on the war, including '' Muktir Kotha'' (''Words of Freedom'', 1999), '' Narir Kotha'' (''Women and War'', 2000) and '' Naroshundor'' (''The Barbershop'', 2009). In 2002, he completed his feature film ''Matir Moina
''Matir Moina'' ( bn, মাটির ময়না; also known in English as ''The Clay Bird'') is a 2002 Bengali War-drama film was written and directed by Tareque Masud. It was his debut feature film. Based on Tareque's story the screenplay ...
'' (''The Clay Bird''), which was based on his childhood experience in the madrassa.
As a part of his filmmaking work, he was a pioneer of the independent film
An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...
movement in Bangladesh. In 1986, Tareque was a founding member of Bangladesh Short Film Forum
Bangladesh Short Film Forum (BSFF) is an organization of young Bangladeshi film makers. It was formed on 24 August 1986 by a group of young independent filmmakers and activists who were then campaigning for creative and aesthetically rich cinema.
...
, the leading platform for independent filmmakers in Bangladesh. In 1988, he organized the country's first International Short and Documentary Film Festival, which is held on a biannual basis to this day. He was also known as the "Cinema Feriwalla" for the way in which he showed his films, touring remote towns and villages throughout the country with his mobile projection unit.
His wife, an American-born film editor Catherine Masud
Catherine Masud ( bn, ক্যাথরিন মাসুদ) is an American-born filmmaker, residing in Bangladesh from 1995–2015. She now lives in the United States. She has collaborated with her husband & filmmaking partner Tareque Masud ...
, was his creative partner. They met at the time he was completing work on ''Adam Surat'' and spent the next two decades making films together through their production house ''Audiovision''. Together they wrote scripts, often co-directed, and toured the country and the world with their films. Catherine also edited all of their work.
Early career
Masud's first film was the documentary '' Adam Surat'' (''Inner Strength'') on the Bangladeshi painter SM Sultan
Sheikh Mohammed Sultan ( bn, শেখ মহম্মদ সুলতান; 10 August 1923 – 10 October 1994), popularly known as S M Sultan, was a Bengali decolonial artist who worked in painting and drawing. His fame rests on his striking ...
which he completed in 1989. His most famous film in the early age of his career was the documentary ''Muktir Gaan
''Muktir Gaan'' ( bn, মুক্তির গান ''The Song of Freedom'') is a 1995 Bangladeshi documentary film directed by Tareque Masud and Catherine Masud. This is a documentary film which explores the impact of cultural identity on the ...
'' (''The Song of Freedom'', 1995) where the camera follows a music troupe during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. The members of the troupe sing songs to inspire freedom fighters.
His first full-length feature film, ''Matir Moina
''Matir Moina'' ( bn, মাটির ময়না; also known in English as ''The Clay Bird'') is a 2002 Bengali War-drama film was written and directed by Tareque Masud. It was his debut feature film. Based on Tareque's story the screenplay ...
'' ("The Clay Bird", 2002) which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films ...
, derives inspiration from his own childhood experiences. He won the International Critic's Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002 for this film,[ as well as the ]FIPRESCI
The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for Fédération Internationale de la PRESse CInématographique) is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world fo ...
Prize for Directors' Fortnight
The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) is an independent selection of the Cannes Film Festival. It was started in 1969 by the French Directors Guild after the events of May 1968 resulted in cancellation of the Cannes festi ...
for "its authentic, moving and delicate portrayal of a country struggling for its democratic rights." ''Matir Moina'' was received with critical praise and toured the international circuit. It was one of the first Bangladeshi films to be widely circulated and was greeted with enthusiasm for its realistic depiction of life without the melodrama
A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exce ...
that is prevalent in many other South Asian films.
His film, '' Ontarjatra'' ("Homeland", 2006), featured two generations of Bangladeshi diaspora in London and their return to Bangladesh. His next feature film, ''Runway
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt concrete, as ...
'' (2010) was about the influence of radical religious teachings on a young boy, caught between many modernistic. Masud's last unfinished project was '' Kagojer Phool'' ("The Paper Flower"), about the partition of the Indian subcontinent
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: India and Pakista ...
. This film has become a prequel to ''Matir Moina'' (2002).
Personal life
Masud and Catherine Shapere have a son, Nishad Bingham Putra Masud.
Death
On 13 August 2011, Masud died in a road accident at Joka under Ghior Upazila while returning to Dhaka from Manikganj
Manikganj is a district situated in Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. Manikganj is one of the green and pollution free towns in Bangladesh. The recent urbanization and highway built joining Dhaka and Shingair Upazilla has given it an outstanding roadv ...
on the Dhaka-Aricha highway after visiting a shooting location. His microbus collided head-on with an oncoming passenger bus. He along with the other passengers were travelling to choose shooting locations for his new film Kagojer Phool (''The Paper Flower''), filming of which was supposed to begin after shooting locations were elected.
Masud was travelling with long-time co-worker Mishuk Munier
Ashfaque Munier (September 24, 1959August 13, 2011; known as Mishuk Munier) was a Bangladeshi media specialist and broadcast journalist. He was known for his photography direction and for being the cofounder of the global news channel The Real New ...
, a cinematographer, a journalist and CEO of ATN News. Munier also died in the accident.[
Masud's wife, Catherine, along with four others, survived the accident. Since his death, Catherine has established the ''Tareque Masud Memorial Trust'', which is dedicated to the task of archiving and memorializing Masud's work through publications, educational projects, screening programs, and the completion of their unfinished works.]
Legend
On 6 December 2018, a Google Doodle
A Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and notable historical figures. The first Google Doodle honored the 1998 edition of the long-running an ...
was displayed on Google Bangladesh page to celebrate his 62nd birthday.
Awards
Masud was received many international and national awards for his notable works. He received Best Film Award from Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards in 1996 and a ''Special Jury Prize'' from Festival of South Asian Documentaries in 1997 and a National Award for Documentary film Muktir Gaan
''Muktir Gaan'' ( bn, মুক্তির গান ''The Song of Freedom'') is a 1995 Bangladeshi documentary film directed by Tareque Masud and Catherine Masud. This is a documentary film which explores the impact of cultural identity on the ...
.
He received an International Critics' FIPRESCI
The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for Fédération Internationale de la PRESse CInématographique) is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world fo ...
Prize, in the Directors' Fortnight
The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) is an independent selection of the Cannes Film Festival. It was started in 1969 by the French Directors Guild after the events of May 1968 resulted in cancellation of the Cannes festi ...
section outside competition at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival
The 55th Cannes Film Festival started on 15 May and ran until 26 May 2002. The Palme d'Or went to the Polish-French-German-British co-produced film '' The Pianist'' directed by Roman Polanski.
The festival opened with '' Hollywood Ending'', direct ...
. Best Screenplay Award from International Film Festival of Marrakech
The Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM) ( ar, المهرجان الدولي للفيلم بمراكش, Amazigh ⴰⵏⵎⵓⴳⴳⴰⵔ ⴰⴳⵔⴰⵖⵍⴰⵏ ⵏ ⵍⴼⵉⵍⵎ ⴳ ⵎⵕⵕⴰⴽⵛ ) is an international film festi ...
in 2002. Best Film Award from Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards, Kara Film Festival
The Karachi International Film Festival, simply known as the Kara Film Festival (Urdu: ''کارا فلم فیسٹیول'' or ''کارا فلم'') was founded in 2001 by the KaraFilm Society, reportedly in response to the declining state of th ...
and Channel I Film Awards in 2003 from the film Matir Moina
''Matir Moina'' ( bn, মাটির ময়না; also known in English as ''The Clay Bird'') is a 2002 Bengali War-drama film was written and directed by Tareque Masud. It was his debut feature film. Based on Tareque's story the screenplay ...
(2002).
After Masud received Jury Prize from International Video Festival of India in 2003, Best Direction award from International Film Festival Bangladesh in 2006, Special Jury Award, Osian's Cinefan Festival Delhi in 2006, Meril Prothom Alo Awards
''Meril Prothom Alo Awards'' or ''Prothom Alo Awards'' is an annual Bangladeshi awards ceremony honouring cinematic achievements in Bangladeshi Film Industry. The awards are divided into two components, Viewers' Choice and Critics' Choice. The a ...
in 2010 etc.
In 2012, he received Ekushey Padak
Ekushey Padak ( bn, একুশে পদক; lit. "Twentyfirst Award") is the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, introduced in memory of the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement of 1952. The award is given to recognize contribut ...
, the highest civilian award of Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mo ...
posthumously. In 2013, New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, th ...
Asian/Pacific/American Institute, and South Asia Solidarity Initiative, hosted the first North American retrospective of his films.
Frequent collaborators
Masud has frequently cast the same actors more than once in films that he has directed.
Recurring themes
Masud's films have recurring themes with subtexts. These include the religious conflicts between humanity and society, strong female characters, and a strong patriot movement.
Filmography
See also
* Artistic depictions of Bangladesh Liberation War
* Bengali cinema
* Cinema of Bangladesh
References
Further reading
*
External links
*
*
*
*
*
*
Tareque Masud collected news and commentary
. ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''
Tareque Masud: Journey Interrupted, North American Retrospective Brochure
{{DEFAULTSORT:Masud, Tareque
Bangladeshi film directors
1956 births
2011 deaths
Road incident deaths in Bangladesh
University of Dhaka alumni
Notre Dame College, Dhaka alumni
People from Faridpur District
Recipients of the Ekushey Padak in arts
Best Screenplay National Film Award (Bangladesh) winners