Suman Mukhopadhyay’s latest cinematic offering, Putulnacher Itikatha, will have its world premiere at the 2025 International Film Festival of Rotterdam (IFFR) in the Big Screen Competition section, the filmmaker announced on Wednesday.

Based on a novel of the same name by legendary Bengali author Manik Bandyopadhyay, Putulnacher Itikatha has been a passion project for Mukhopadhyay for over 16 years. Reflecting on the selection, the director shared his excitement in a heartfelt social media post, saying, “This is a high point in my filmmaking career”.

Mukhopadhyay also expressed his gratitude to producer Samiran Das and Kaleidoscope, the production company behind the film, for their unwavering support in bringing his long-cherished dream to fruition. He extended his appreciation to the film’s cast and crew.

The Big Screen Competition at IFFR is renowned for showcasing films that bridge the gap between popular, classic, and arthouse cinema, offering selected works a global platform. The jury for the segment this year comprises film professional Bero Beyer, producer-actress and filmmaker Dewi Evita Reijs, Amsterdam-based Chinese-Dutch film producer Jia Zhao, Iranian-Dutch artist Sara Rajaei, and film writer Digna Sinke.

Putulnacher Itikatha will be competing against The Assistant, (Poland, United Kingdom), Back to the Family (Lithuania), Bad Painter (United States), ¡Caigan las rosas blancas! (Brazil, Spain), Gowok: Javanese Kamasutra (Indonesia), De idylle (Netherlands, Belgium, Estonia), Macai (Malaysia), Orenda (Finland, Estonia, Sweden), L’oro del Reno (Italy), Our Father – The Last Days of a Dictator (Portugal), Raptures (Finland), Soft Leaves (Belgium) and Yasuko, Songs of Days Past (Japan).

Starring Abir Chatterjee, Jaya Ahsan, Dhritiman Chaterji, Ananya Chatterjee, Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Surangana Bandyopadhyay, Putulnacher Itikatha revolves around Shashi, an urbane doctor, who visits his rural hometown, a place steeped in traditional and seemingly outdated practices, for what he plans to be a brief visit. However, as he becomes deeply entwined in the lives of the villagers, his temporary stay begins to take on a sense of permanence.

Apart from Putulnacher Itikatha, two more Bengali films — Pradipta Bhattacharyya's Nadharer Bhela and Ishaan Ghose's Morichika — will premiere at IFFR 2025 in non-competitive sections. The festival is scheduled to take place from January 22 to February 2.