About IBFFA
সংস্কৃতি
Celebrating Stories. Connecting Cultures. Inspiring the Future.
Our Story
Celebrating Bangla Cinema
The International Bangla Film Festival Australia (IBFFA) is Australia's first and only dedicated Bangla-language film festival. Founded with the vision of celebrating the richness, diversity, and creative brilliance of Bangla cinema, IBFFA brings together filmmakers, artists, industry professionals, and audiences from across Australia and the world.
Our mission is to showcase outstanding Bangla-language films — feature films, documentaries, short films, student works, and animation — while fostering cross-cultural dialogue and building bridges between the Bangladeshi diaspora, the broader South Asian community, and mainstream Australian audiences. We believe cinema is one of the most powerful vehicles for storytelling, empathy, and cultural exchange.
IBFFA is committed to nurturing emerging talent, promoting gender equity and diversity in the screen sector, and providing a platform for voices that are often underrepresented in mainstream Australian cinema. Through industry panels, masterclasses, networking events, and community engagement programmes, we aim to build a sustainable ecosystem that supports Bangla filmmakers both in Australia and internationally.
As a multicultural arts initiative, IBFFA also champions First Nations storytelling, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, disability access, and engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities — reflecting the vibrant diversity of contemporary Australia.
Our Team
Board & Leadership
Meet the passionate team behind IBFFA.
Golam Mostafa
Founder, Festival Director, Chair
Golam Mostafa is a Bangladeshi-Australian filmmaker, producer, cultural entrepreneur, and festival director with more than 20 years of experience in screen media, film exhibition, distribution, and multicultural event management. He is the Founder of the International Bangla Film Festival Australia (IBFFA) and AusBan Media. An award-winning writer/producer/director, his debut feature film JOYA is currently in production. As Festival Director, he leads the festival's strategic vision, partnerships, governance, and long-term development.
Prof. Dr. Zakir Hossain Raju
Co-Festival Director
Prof. Dr. Zakir Hossain Raju is an internationally recognised filmmaker, film scholar, producer, critic, and educator with more than 30 years of experience in screen production, film research, and cultural leadership. He is Professor of Film Studies and Founding Head of the Department of Media and Communication at the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB). As Co-Festival Director, he leads the festival's artistic vision, film programming, and international partnerships.
Farabee Kabir
Secretary, Board Member – Producer & Industry Development
Farabee Kabir is an Australian-Bengali film producer, Chartered Accountant and screen professional with expertise in producing, festival management, finance and screen business. She holds a Master of Arts Screen (Producing) from AFTRS and currently serves as Development & Production Executive at Films & Casting TEMPLE and Executive Producer of NIFFA. Her producing credits include the award-winning AFTRS graduate film Bōr (Skin).
Omer Aiaz Ony
Board Member – Marketing & Communications Director
Omer Aiaz Ony is a marketing strategist, creative producer and communications professional with extensive experience in brand development, digital marketing, audience engagement and cultural promotion across the film, media and creative industries.
Kawsar Khan
Board Member – Director, Media & Public Relations
Kawsar Khan is a Bangladeshi-Australian journalist, writer, media professional and independent migration consultant with more than 20 years of experience in journalism, public relations and community engagement. He is the author of several novels and television dramas.
Ashutosh Sujan
Regional NSW (Wollongong) Screen Practitioner Representative
Ashutosh Sujan is a Bangladeshi-Australian filmmaker, producer, screenwriter and director with more than 20 years of experience in feature films, television drama, documentaries and screen production. Based in Wollongong, he is the Director of Bay of Bengal Films.
Hossain Amir (H. A. Boby)
LGBTQIA+ and Disability Consultant
Hossain Amir (H. A. Boby) is a Sydney-based Australian writer, artist, interpreter and LGBTQIA+ advocate with a lifelong commitment to diversity, inclusion and community representation. A proud trans woman, she is a multidisciplinary creative practitioner and NAATI-accredited interpreter.
Tanim Al Minarul Mannan
Film Classification & Compliance Coordinator
Tanim Al Minarul Mannan is a film distributor, exhibitor and screen industry professional with extensive experience in the Australian and New Zealand Bangla film market. As Founder and Director of BongOz Films, he has specialised in the distribution and exhibition of Bangladeshi and Bengali films since 2016.
Coordinators & Support Team
Rahmat Ullah
Festival Operations Manager
Kazi Sultana Seemi
Community Engagement Coordinator
Nasreen Mostafa
Guest and Participant Liaison Coordinator
Nusrat Disha
Guest and Participant Liaison Coordinator
Atiqur Rahman
Festival Publications and Publicity Coordinator
Governance
Our Governance
Transparency, accountability, and best practice.
The International Bangla Film Festival Australia (IBFFA) operates as IBFFA Inc., an incorporated not-for-profit association registered under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 (NSW). Our governance framework is guided by principles of transparency, accountability, community representation, and best-practice arts management.
The Board of Directors oversees the festival's strategic direction, financial management, risk and compliance, and stakeholder engagement. Board members bring expertise spanning filmmaking, producing, marketing, journalism, community engagement, compliance, and diversity and inclusion.
Incorporated Association
Registered under NSW law with a formal constitution and governance charter.
Diverse Board
Board members represent a breadth of skills, backgrounds, and community perspectives.
Open Accountability
Annual reports, audited financials, and public-facing governance documents.
Community-Led
Guided by community consultation and engagement with key stakeholder groups.
Inclusion & Accessibility
A Festival for Everyone
IBFFA is committed to meaningful inclusion across all dimensions of diversity.
First Nations Engagement
IBFFA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our festival takes place and pays respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. We are committed to amplifying First Nations voices and creating meaningful pathways for collaboration with Indigenous storytellers, artists, and communities.
CALD Communities
As a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) initiative, IBFFA is designed to engage communities from across Australia's multicultural landscape — including Bangladeshi, Bengali, South Asian, and broader diaspora audiences — through accessible programming, multilingual communications, and community partnerships.
LGBTQIA+ Inclusion
IBFFA is proud to be an inclusive and safe space for LGBTQIA+ filmmakers, artists, and audiences. We actively seek to programme stories that reflect the diversity of gender identity and sexual orientation, and we ensure our festival environment is welcoming, respectful, and free from discrimination.
Regional NSW & Western Sydney
IBFFA is committed to engaging audiences and practitioners beyond the Sydney CBD, with dedicated outreach to Western Sydney and regional NSW communities including Wollongong, Newcastle, and the Blue Mountains. Satellite screenings and community events extend the festival's reach to where audiences live.