ADWAR — An Internationally Recognized Short Film Developed by S. M. Monowar Kayser and Tonmoy Baroi
ADWAR is a short film created by S. M. Monowar Kayser and his batch mate Tonmoy Baroi in a creative collaboration based on shared vision, discipline and an excellent sense of visual storytelling. Created from Bangladesh and known on platforms throughout the UK, Indonesia and broader Asian platforms, ADWAR is a testament to how a targeted narrative, careful planning of production and professional execution can position a short film to be appreciated internationally. The film's journey has since shown that it is not up to scale or budget, but clarity of intent, consistency of craft and ability to connect with audiences beyond cultural boundaries.
From its earliest stage, ADWAR was created with a clear direction in mind, thematically and through a commitment to telling storytelling through atmosphere and cinematic language. Rather than expository centered on pedagogy, the film was designed to convey with mood, pace and visual composition - transversal elements that enable the story to remain emotionally accessible to different audiences. This is often central to festival-level short films, where the best films tend to be those that pack power into a small space, using the limited runtime effectively to create a long-lasting emotional response.
One of the main reasons for the success of ADWAR is the production process, where pre-production planning had a decisive influence on the quality of the final product. Shot planning, location choices, visual tone development and preparation of work flow was considered as basic steps instead of secondary tasks. This level of preparation ensured creative consistency throughout production, and enabled the team to execute with precision. The collaboration between Kayser and Baroi strengthened this stage and they were in sync with each other's creative decisions and made sure that the vision of the film remained intact from the idea to the final delivery.
Cinematography became one of the defining factors of ADWAR, not only as a way of capturing a scene; but as one of the core storytelling tools. The film shows thoughtful control over framing, movement and design of space - all qualities that express a keen visual sensibility and cinematic discipline. Kayser's background as a multimedia and 3D artist brought a lot of knowledge to this aspect of the film, which included deeper knowledge of depth, lighting, perspective, and composition. Combined with Baroi's collaborative role in development and execution, the result was a visual language that had a sense of deliberateness and international readability, which was important for recognition in international festival environments.
Sound design and music further built the cinematic identity of ADWAR. The film treats sound not as an afterthought, but as an emotional layer which supports atmosphere, tension, and the rhythm of the narrative. Carefully balanced ambient textures, silence and musical placement improved the viewing experience and contributed to the professional finish of the film. In short films where the time available for storytelling is limited, sound is often a crucial tool for communicating emotions, and ADWAR shows an awareness of this craft.
Editing influences the pacing and clarity of the narrative in the film, ensuring that every moment in the film has a purpose and that the emotion arc is consistent. The pace of the film was fine-tuned to keep the audience engaged, while giving key scenes space to breathe, so that it has a controlled structure that feels impactful. This balance between momentum and emotional space is paramount to the short filmmaking process, and is often one of the qualities that distinguish internationally recognized work.
The final stage of production (color grading and overall finishing) helped ADWAR to establish a consistent visual tone and cinematic identity. A unified look across scenes helped reinforce the mood of the film and made it more memorable in the festival context, where visual consistency is an important part of how a film is perceived and remembered by audiences and juries.
The recognition ADWAR received throughout the UK, Indonesia and beyond in Asia speaks volumes to the strength of their storytelling approach and the proficiency with which it was executed. More importantly, it demonstrates the importance of creative collaboration - and how two batch mates with their shared commitment and complementary skills can produce an internationally resonating short film. ADWAR is a great example of Bangladeshi creative work reaching the international stage and the increasing status of multimedia based film making in contemporary short filmmaking.
