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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Elizabeth D. Costa
Born
Bangladesh
CitizenshipBangladeshi
EducationUniversity of Liberal Arts Bangladesh
OccupationsFilmmaker, director, producer, screenwriter
Years active2010s–present
Employer(s)communications advisor, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), editor, assistant producer, BBC Media Action
Known forBangla Surf Girls (2021), Bangladesh Truth Seeker (2026)

Elizabeth D. Costa (Bengali: এলিজাবেথ ডি কস্তা) is a Bangladeshi documentary filmmaker, director, producer, and screenwriter.[1] She is known for her first feature documentary, Bangla Surf Girls (2021), which premiered at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and participated in the 2017 Chicken & Egg Accelerator Lab, as well as the 2017 IDFA Academy.[2] She co-directed the short documentary 35th July – Bangladesh's Deadly Protest (2024), Bangladesh Truth Seekers (2026) for Al Jazeera.[3]

Early life and education

[edit]

Costa is Bangladeshi-born and raised and comes from a Christian minority background.[4] She earned a degrees from Media Studies & Journalism from the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh.[5] She was a participent for the 2020 Film Independent Documentary Lab with support from Global Media Makers and the U.S. Department of State.[1][6]

Career

[edit]

Costa began her career as an intern script supervisor for Bangladeshi filmmakers Tareque and Catherine Masud, working on films including The Clay Bird (2002).[4] She later worked as a producer, director, assistant producer, editor, and cameraperson for various international media outlets, including BBC Media Action, NOS Television, VICE News UK, Spanish TV, and Bloomberg TV.[2] She also worked as an assistant producer on Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's documentary A Journey of Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers.[4] From 2016 to 2017, Costa worked as a communications advisor for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bangladesh.[1]

Costa's first feature documentary, Bangla Surf Girls, was filmed over three years in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. It follows three teenage girls who join a local surf club and dream of freedom from traditional expectations and early marriage.[7] The film had its world premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in 2021.[2] It was selected for the Chicken & Egg 2017 Accelerator Lab and pitched at the Deal Makers forum at Hot Docs 2017.[4] Costa participated in the Film Independent Documentary Lab in 2020, sponsored by Global Media Makers and the U.S. Department of State.[1] She also attended the IDFA Academy in 2017.[1]

In 2024, Costa co-directed the short documentary 35th July – Bangladesh's Deadly Protest for Al Jazeera's Witness program. The film follows photojournalist Jibon Ahmed as he documents the student-led protests in Bangladesh on 4 August 2024.[3][8]

Costa has also conducted workshops for women filmmakers. In 2025, she co-led a four-day non-fiction storytelling workshop for Bangladeshi women filmmakers organised by Dhaka DocLab.[9]

Filmography

[edit]

Documentary films

[edit]
  • Bangla Surf Girls (2021) – director, producer, cinematographer[2]
  • 35th July – Bangladesh's Deadly Protest (2024) – co-director (with Adil Sakhawat and Tareq Ahmed)[3]
  • Bangladeshi Truth Seekers (2026) - Director[10]

Producer

[edit]
  • Bangla Surf Girls (2021) – producer[2]

Festival participation

[edit]

Premieres

[edit]
  • Bangla Surf Girls – World Premiere at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival (2021)[2]

Official selections

[edit]
  • Bangla Surf Girls – Human Rights Watch Film Festival (2022)[2]
  • Bangla Surf Girls – 3rd i San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival[11]
  • Bangla Surf Girls – newportFILM (2021)[12]
  • Bangla Surf Girls – ACT Human Rights Film Festival[13]
  • Bangla Surf Girls – Internationales Frauen Film Fest[14]
  • 35th July – Bangladesh's Deadly Protest – Bangladesh International Short and Independent Film Festival (BISIFF) (2025)[8]

Awards and nominations

[edit]

Bangla Surf Girls has received the following awards:

  • Best Documentary – Coronado Island Film Festival (2021)[15]
  • Fearless Filmmaker Award – Coronado Island Film Festival (2021)[15]
  • Audience Award – What If? Women In Film Festival (2021)[16]
  • Best Film – Vancouver Asian Film Festival (2021)[17]
  • Best Director – Vancouver Asian Film Festival (2021)[17]
  • Best Feature Documentary – Bushwick Film Festival (2021)[18]
  • Best Surf Documentary – Paris Surf & Skateboard Film Festival (2021)[19]
  • Women in Surf Award – Portuguese Film Festival (2021)[20]
  • Best Feature – Oakville Festival of the Arts (2021)[21]
  • Accolade Award – Accolade Global Film Competition (2021)[22]
  • Runner-up, Best International Director – Oakville Film Festival[21]
  • Winner, Best Canadian Film – Oakville Film Festival[21]

Other activities

[edit]

Costa has served as a workshop conductor for non-fiction storytelling workshops for women filmmakers in Bangladesh.[9] She has also participated in panel discussions and Q&A sessions following screenings of her films.[23]

From 2016 to 2017, Costa worked as a communications advisor for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bangladesh.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Elizabeth D. Costa – Film Independent Talent Guide". Film Independent. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Elizabeth D. Costa – Human Rights Watch Film Festival". Human Rights Watch Film Festival. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "35th July – Bangladesh's Deadly Protest". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Elizabeth D. Costa – Chicken & Egg Pictures". Chicken & Egg Pictures. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Elizabeth D'Costa (Media Studies & Journalism)". University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Elizabeth D. Costa – Film Fatales". Film Fatales. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "Interview: Elizabeth D. Costa on Bangla Surf Girls". POV Magazine. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  8. 1 2 "35th July – Bangladesh's Deadly Protest screened at BISIFF". New Age. Bangladesh. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Non-fiction storytelling workshop concludes". New Age. Bangladesh. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Bangladesh Truth Seeker". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "Bangla Surf Girls at 3rd i SFISAFF". Roxie Theater. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Bangla Surf Girls at newportFILM". newportFILM. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "ACT Human Rights Film Festival – Bangla Surf Girls". ACT Human Rights Film Festival. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Internationales Frauen Film Fest – Bangla Surf Girls". Internationales Frauen Film Fest. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Coronado Island Film Festival 2021 Award Winners". Coronado Island Film Festival. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "What If? Women In Film Festival 2021 Awards". What If? Women In Film Festival. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  17. 1 2 "2021 Vancouver Asian Film Festival Award Winners". Vancouver Asian Film Festival. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "2021 Bushwick Film Festival Award Winners". Bushwick Film Festival. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "Paris Surf & Skateboard Film Festival 2021 Awards". Paris Surf & Skateboard Film Festival. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  20. ↑ "Portuguese Film Festival 2021 – Women in Surf Award". Portuguese Film Festival. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  21. 1 2 3 "Award winners revealed for the 8th Oakville Film Festival". Oakville News. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  22. ↑ "Accolade Global Film Competition – Winners". Accolade Global Film Competition. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  23. ↑ "Central Women's University hosts screening of Bangla Surf Girls". Central Women's University. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
[edit]
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