Catherine Masud

Catherine Masud serves as an Assistant Professor In-Residence in Human Rights Documentary Filmmaking at the University of Connecticut, holding a joint appointment between the Department of Digital Media and Design in the School of Fine Arts and the Human Rights Institute. An internationally acclaimed filmmaker, her work predominantly focuses on economic and social justice, war and genocide, and the interplay of religious and cultural identity, with significant contributions made during her extensive career in Bangladesh.

Her academic credentials include a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in film from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in development studies from Brown University.

Professor Masud's research interests center on human rights documentary filmmaking and the innovative use of human rights-themed archives for educational and scholarly purposes, as evidenced by her recent acquisition of the Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) Certificate from the Society of American Archivists. Her creative work explores the intersections of visual storytelling, historical memory, and social justice advocacy.

Among her notable achievements are the International Critics’ Prize at Cannes for her film Matir Moina (The Clay Bird) and the Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) Certificate. Her film Matir Moina also marked a historic milestone as the first Bangladeshi film to compete at the Oscars.

Her film projects have secured funding from prestigious organizations including the Ford Foundation, the Hubert Bals Fund, and the French Government South Fund. At UConn, she has spearheaded significant documentary initiatives such as the Thomas J. Dodd Nuremberg Collections project, the Armenian Memory Project, and a tribute to renowned human rights scholar Wiktor Osiatyński.