Producer.
Writer. Director.
Rubaiyat Hossain
About Rubaiyat
Rubaiyat Hossain is a trailblazing Bangladeshi filmmaker, writer, and producer, distinguished as one of the few female directors in her country. Drawing inspiration from the iconic Satyajit Ray, Rubaiyat pursued her cinematic passions, earning a diploma in film direction from the New York Film Academy in 2002. She holds a B.A. in Women's Studies from Smith College, an M.A. in South Asian Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, and an M.A. in Cinema Studies from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Rubaiyat's academic and creative work explores themes such as Sufism, Bengali nationalism, and the interplay between Bengali modernity and female sexuality.
Founded by Rubaiyat, Sultana’s Dream is a funding, research and mentorship grant to empower, promote and support the next generation of women filmmakers and storytellers in Bangladesh to diversify the visual world with innovation and uniqueness through the female gaze.
Sultana's Dream
Directing Works
Rubaiyat's directorial debut, Meherjaan (2011), a film that critiques masculine nationalism from a feminine perspective, faced both political and cultural backlash in Bangladesh for its anti-war narrative. Her follow-up, Under Construction(2015), premiered at the New Directors Showcase at the Seattle International Film Festival and won 14 film awards, receiving acclaim in Bangladesh.
Her third feature, Made in Bangladesh (2019), based on a real-life story, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and earned a nomination for Best Film, among 11 nominations and 5 wins.
Rubaiyat is currently working on her fourth independent film, The Difficult Bride. Her films not only showcase her profound storytelling skills but also her commitment to voicing the experiences of Bangladeshi women through a global lens.