On the Wings of Dreams

A puzzling story about a poor man and his wife unexpectedly finding some money. Caught in a nightmarish moral dilemma about what approach to take, whether to return the money or just keep quiet, dreaming at the same time about the numerous possibilities of what to buy with this money, the couple become more and more alienated from each other.
The film takes a critical look at contemporary Bangladeshi rural society in a rather humorous way, pointing out the ridiculousness of the traditional male and female role patterns, as well as the stereotypes attached to belonging to a certain social level as the rural ointment craftsman is challenged and already changing his behaviour now that there seems to be an opportunity to move up in society.
This very minimalist story, with a limited range of action and dialogue, very gradually builds up the suspense. The dramatic events take place mostly during the night, with the light and camera movements bringing a special flavour to this psychological drama, creating a haunting sense of danger in the solitude and darkness of the village where nobody trusts anybody. The manner of expression of the main characters is quite different from performances in the average local film and together with Nirontor, another Bangladeshi film being screened this year in Rotterdam, they open a new page in the Bangladeshi art of cinema acting. (RS)