'Silence of the Seashell' cast, crew share thoughts about the film

The cast of the Golden Goblet Awards Main Competition nominee “Silence of the Seashell” talked about their film production on Monday at the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival.

Co-produced by Bangladesh and Germany, the film by Kamar Ahmad Simon portrays a young woman’s confusion and gaining of emotional maturity after an unplanned pregnancy.

Living in a small town of Bangladesh, the young woman Ruba needs to get married to keep the baby.

Bangladeshi director Simon, who is also a famous poet and architect, has an keen eye for the stories, emotions, and growth of women.

He said that the film is not quite a fictional story as it is loosely based on the feelings and experiences of people around him. His former training as an architect also enabled him to observe things from multiple perspectives.

The movie title is inspired by Simon's own understanding of seashells.

“You can’t hear anything until you put the seashells near your ear,” he said. “Through different seashells, you can hear different sounds of the ocean.”

Sara Afreen, producer of the movie and Simon's wife, said that an artist and filmmaker has the responsibility of keeping the records of the times and surroundings. Her husband’s attempts in varied genres of films have offered her different kinds of experience.

The film, in her eyes, showcases the real Bangladesh and the different layers of its society.

Actress Fauzia Karim Anu, who plays the lead role in the movie, said that she tries very hard to rediscover herself in a character and connect with the character.

“It’s a journey between two women — me and Ruba,” Anu said.

The emotions depicted in the film are universal, in her opinion.

“The family bonding and relationships in the movie are also very common to Chinese audiences,” Anu added.