Robiul Alam Robi’s upcoming film titled “Kill Me Like a Dog” achieved the prestigious European Work in Progress (EWIP) K-13 Studios Award at the eighth fest hosted in Hamburg this year. The movie is one of the eight projects featured within the “Remembering Monsoon Resolution” program, a collaboration between the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. It was presented at the Hamburg event, which took place over three days from September 29 to October 1 as part of Filmfest Hamburg’s Industry Days.
“Kill Me Like a Dog,” a joint production with Norway, was honored with the K-13 Studios Award, which comprises 10,000 euros worth of Dolby Atmos mixing support from K-13 Studios in Berlin. The film, inspired by Franz Kafka’s novel “The Trial,” is scheduled for an early release next year. Robiul Alam Robi serves as the writer, director, and producer of the film, delving into the narrative of an ordinary banker in Khulna caught in a perplexing legal ordeal orchestrated by the state’s intelligence agencies, oblivious to his alleged transgression.
According to sources within the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the EWIP fest garnered over 300 European film industry professionals, including producers, distributors, financiers, festival organizers, and marketers. The event, spanning two days, aims to discover and support promising upcoming films. This year, EWIP received a record number of 240 submissions from European productions and co-productions, with 27 films in advanced post-production stages being chosen. Notably, 14 films, including some co-produced with European studios from countries like Brazil and Peru, were recognized with awards.
Director Robiul Alam Robi shared insights on his film, stating, “This movie reinterprets Kafka’s ‘The Trial’ against the backdrop of the stifling political environment in present-day Bangladesh, where fear pervades daily life, justice appears as a charade, and truth loses its significance.”