Bangladeshi automotive filmmaker and content creator Saif Sarwar has secured his second consecutive nomination at the International Motor Film Awards (IMFA), this time for his film Beyond The Machine, marking another major step in his effort to take Bangladeshi automotive filmmaking to the global stage.

Saif made history in 2025 when his film ‘Go Beyond’ earned an IMFA nomination, making him the first Bangladeshi filmmaker to be nominated at the international automotive film awards. A year later, he returned to the nomination list with ‘Beyond The Machine’, becoming a two-time consecutive nominee.

Featuring the Porsche 718 Boxster, ‘Beyond The Machine’ explores the vision behind automotive filmmaking. The film reflects Sarwar’s belief that an automotive film is not simply about showcasing a vehicle. Behind every frame is a filmmaker’s vision, creativity, hard work and passion, all coming together to shape how the machine is seen and experienced.

The back-to-back nominations place Sarwar alongside filmmakers, creators and productions connected to some of the world’s best-known names in automotive and entertainment media, including Hagerty, Top Gear, Red Bull and CAR Magazine. His recognition also reflects the growing visibility of Bangladeshi automotive storytelling on the international stage.

The IMFA2026 nomination field features several high-profile productions and Hollywood names, including ‘Crime 101’, directed by Bart Layton and starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Halle Berry; ‘The Running Man’, directed by Edgar Wright and featuring Glen Powell, Josh Brolin and Colman Domingo; and ‘TRON: Ares’, directed by Joachim Rønning and starring Jared Leto, Jeff Bridges, Greta Lee and Evan Peters, and ‘The Rip’, written and directed by Joe Carnahan and starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Other notable nominated productions include The Lost Bus, starring Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera; Back in Action, featuring Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz and Glenn Close; The Pickup, starring Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, Eva Longoria and Keke Palmer; and “Sung Kang x Drifter | AE86 in Taiwan,” featuring Sung Kang and Laticia Fan.

The 2026 IMFA Awards Night is scheduled for November 14 in Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles, California bringing together leading figures from automotive filmmaking, film, television and motorsport.

This time, however, the goal is bigger than another nomination. It is the chance to finally stand there with Bangladesh behind his name, but will Bangladesh stand behind him?

For Saif, however, the second nomination carries a deep personal meaning. His biggest challenge now is not receiving another nomination but making it to Los Angeles to experience the moment in person.

“Being nominated at IMFA for the second time makes me feel more afraid than happy,” Sarwar said. “I know how difficult it is to reach this stage, but for an automotive filmmaker from Bangladesh, turning that dream into reality is even harder.”

Sarwar said his journey began with passion rather than recognition.

“I make automotive films simply because I love doing it. But in Bangladesh, automotive filmmaking still does not receive the recognition or value it deserves. I have personally experienced how difficult it can be to stand on an international platform as a Bangladeshi creator,” he said.

His first IMFA nomination came with Go Beyond in 2025. Although Sarwar was invited by Award Director to attend the awards night in London, he could not make the trip.

“Last year, I had the opportunity to attend the IMFA Awards Night in London, but despite trying my best, I could not get the financial support I needed to be there. That remains one of the biggest regrets of my journey,” he said.

He said the missed opportunity was particularly difficult because the event brought together automotive creators from around the world alongside Hollywood directors and producers.

“Knowing that so many of the people and creators I look up to were under the same roof, and that I could not be there, was something I deeply regretted,” Saif said.

Now, with Beyond The Machine earning him a second consecutive nomination and the ceremony moving to Los Angeles, Saif hopes he will finally get the opportunity to attend.

“This year, the awards are taking place in Los Angeles, Hollywood. I have even received a direct invitation letter from the Awards Director, but my biggest fear is still the same, will I once again miss the chance to stand there and receive my certificate with my own hands?” he said.

For Saif, reaching the global stage from Bangladesh has been a journey of persistence.

“As a Bangladeshi creator, perhaps my biggest challenge is not getting nominated, it is actually getting there. I want to see with my own eyes the dream I started with my country’s name attached to it finally reach its destination,” he said.

He believes the obstacles he has faced could ultimately become part of what makes the journey meaningful.

“Sometimes I wonder, if I come this far again but still cannot be there because I could not get the opportunity or support, will being a Bangladeshi creator be my failure or will this struggle one day become my greatest achievement?”

“I still haven’t given up,” he added.

The latest IMFA nomination comes after another international milestone for Sarwar in 2025, when he also became the first Bangladeshi creator to receive a ‘Judges Honorable Mention’ at the Grand Motoring Film Festival, United States.

From Go Beyond in 2025 to Beyond The Machine in 2026, Saif’s journey continues to bring Bangladeshi automotive filmmaking into a global creative arena.