The shooting for the upcoming joint-production film between Bangladesh and France, titled 'The Orange' (locally known as 'Pother Bondhu'), is currently progressing in full swing across 25 different cities in France. Director Swapan Ahmed and his dedicated crew are utilizing real, live locations rather than building artificial sets. Scenes are being captured in natural environments, including streetside benches, small-town pathways, local markets, and moving vehicles, allowing the visual landscape to evolve naturally as the production moves from one location to another.
According to the director, the film deliberately avoids presenting France through the typical lens of a tourist postcard. Iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower are entirely absent from the script. Instead, the focus is on capturing the everyday lives of ordinary people, quiet streets, rural villages, and coastal areas. The storyline revolves around the journeys of three immigrants, transitioning dynamically from bustling urban centers to serene countryside and eventually towards the ocean.
The movie features a talented cast including prominent actor and director Tauquir Ahmed, alongside Faizul Yamin and Swarnali Chaity. Reflecting on the filming process, Tauquir Ahmed shared that a significant portion of their work takes place in the outskirts and rural regions of France, drawing a playful parallel to shooting in various scenic regions back in Bangladesh.
The production schedule is notably rigorous, with cast and crew often working from early morning until late into the night. Despite the exhaustion of constant travel between distant locations, the team remains highly focused on capturing the authentic essence of the narrative. This cross-cultural cinematic venture is expected to foster deeper cultural ties between Bangladesh and France while offering audiences a poignant look at immigrant life set against the backdrop of an authentic, non-touristy Europe.
