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No Ground Beneath the Feet
No Ground Beneath the Feet
	Theatrical release poster
Bengali	পায়ের তলায় মাটি নাই
Literally	Payer Tolay Mati Nai
Directed by	Mohammad Rabby Mridha
Screenplay by	Mohammad Rabby Mridha; Nahar Mridha;
Story by	Fazla Rabby
Produced by	Abu Shahed Emon
Starring	Mostafa Monwar; Priyam Archi; Deepanwita Martin;
Cinematography	Manirul Islam; Tonmoy Sharif;
Edited by	Sameer Ahmed
Music by	Emon Chowdhury
Production; companies	Golpo Rajjo Films; Impress Telefiline Limited; Batayan Productions;
Distributed by	Golpo Rajjo Films
Release date	7 October 2021 (BIFF);
Running time	90 mins
Country	Bangladesh
Language	Bengali

No Ground Beneath the Feet (Bengali: পায়ের তলায় মাটি নাই, romanized: Payer Tolay Mati Nai) is a 2021 Bangladeshi drama film directed by Mohammad Rabby Mridha (in his feature directorial debut) with a screenplay by Mohammad Rabby Mridha and Nahar Mridha from a story by Fazla Rabby. The film is produced by Bangladeshi filmmaker Abu Shahed Emon ^[1] ^[2]Starring Mostafa Monwar, the film depicts the life of Saiful, an impoverished ambulance driver in Dhaka.^[3] The film premiered at the 26th Busan International Film Festival in 'out of competition section' on 7 October 2021,^[4] and competed for Golden Peacock Award at the 52nd International Film Festival of India in November 2021.^[5]

The film was submitted for nomination in the Best International Feature Film category of the 96th Academy Awards, by the Oscar Committee as Bangladeshi entry,^[6]^[7] but, it didn't make it to the shortlist.^[8]

Synopsis

Saiful an improvised ambulance driver migrated to Dhaka to earn a living for his family. His lust leads him to a second marriage with a woman he slept with and who now pesters him for money. His family and his brother all want his help but he cannot return home, and as time goes on the situation worsens.

Cast

Mostafa Monwar as Saiful
Priyam Archi as Mina, first wife
Deepanwita Martin as second wife

Release

The film had its premiere at the 26th Busan International Film Festival in out of competition section on 7 October 2021.^[4] It competed for Golden Peacock Award at the 52nd International Film Festival of India in November 2021.^[9] In March 2022, it was screened at the 17th Osaka Asian Film Festival on 13 March 2022.^[10]^[11]

The film made it to Red Lotus Asian Film Festival Vienna, where it was screened in May 2022.^[12] On 25 June 2022, it was screened at London Indian Film Festival in Ciné Lumière.^[13]

The film was screened at the Asian Film Festival Barcelona on 4 November 2022.^[14]

Reception

Panos Kotzathanasis reviewing for Asian Movie Pulse praised direction, cinematography and performance of actors. He commended cinematography writing, "Manirul Islam and Abu Raihan’s cinematography is on a very high level." For directions, he opined, "Mohammad Rabby Mridha manages to direct a film that, despite its documentary-like realism." Praising lead actor Mostafa Monwar, he wrote, "Monwar's measured acting as Saiful, is another great performance by him. Kotzathanasis concluded, "No Ground Beneath the Feet is a great movie, a rather hopeful debut, and a testament to the progress of Bangladeshi cinema."^[15]