2.49 Filmmaker Interview with Rishabh Raj Jain

The Oscar Project Podcast

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In today's episode, I interview Rishabh Raj Jain, the director of the short film "A Dream Called Kushi (Happiness)," a documentary about a one young woman seeking an opportunity to escape a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh and receive education in the West. The film received the bronze medal in the documentary category at the 2024 Student Academy Awards.
Listen to hear about the origin of the film in Rishabh's investigative reporting in Myanmar and Bangladesh, how refugees have to adapt their language and lifestyle to try and fit into their host country, and how Rishabh's personal connection to the story affected how he put the final film together.
Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Make No Law: The Sullivan Case and the First Amendment by Anthony Lewis

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• "A Dream Called Kushi (Happiness)” directed by Rishabh Raj Jain
• Waltz With Bashir directed by Ari Folman
• Society of the Snow directed by J. A. Bayona
• The Settlers directed by Shimon Dotan
• The work of Rory Kennedy
• The work of Shah Rukh Khan
• The work of Riz Ahmed

"A Dream Called Kushi (Happiness)" was presented at the Tasveer Film Festival in October and is looking for other .
You can follow Rishabh on Instagram @rishabh.jain403 and follow the film @adreamcalledkhushi.
Read some of Rishabh's reporting work at the links below:

• Rohingya Women Detail Rape by Myanmar Forces
• Indian farmers mark 6 months of protest with no end in sight
• Through kids’ eyes: Virus outbreak brings sadness, fear, joy