Aung Rakhine

Aung Rakhine (; born October 21, 1985) is a Bangladeshi filmmaker noted for his films My Bicycle and The Last Post Office; premiered at several international festivals, including the Locarno Film Festival, the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, and Göteborg Film Festival that brings him international recognition. My Bicycle is the country's first Chakma language film.

The Bangladesh Film Censor Board blocked the commercial release of My Bicycle, citing language barriers and concerns over the film's portrayal of the military. The film featured an all-local cast with no professional actors involved. Early life and education Aung Rakhine was born in Harbang, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. He completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the University of Development Alternative (UODA) in 2011. He also pursued a film direction course at the National Institute of Mass Communication (NIMC) under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Career Aung Rakhine has started his career in film as an executive producer at Bengal Creations Ltd from February 2015 to September 2018 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Additionally, he co-founded Khona Talkies and served as a director and executive producer from 2015 to March 2019. He is one of the producers of Khona's film Made in Bangladesh directed by Rubaiyat Hossain. Aung also served as executive producer of Giasuddin Selim's film Swapnajaal.

Filmography

Year Title Type Details Ref. 2015 My Bicycle Short film Featured at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Gothenburg Film Festival, Zanzibar International Film Festival, and Skabmagovat Film Festival (Finland). 2018 The Last Post Office Short film Screened at Locarno Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, Tampere Film Festival, and Hong Kong International Film Festival in 2019. Mru Feature film Based on the ethnic group Mru, ongoing project since 2022.

Screening campaign

On 8 August 2024, an independent film activist group organized an open screening called #CinemaDehuntis as part of a reformist movement urging the government to abolish film censorship. This campaign is a subset of the broader Student–People's uprising in Bangladesh opposing the Awami administration.

Awards and recognition Throughout his career, Aung Rakhine has received awards and recognized indigenous filmmakers from Bangladesh, showcased at numerous international film festivals. Best Screenplay Award - Ufa Silver Akbuzat Ethnic Cinema Festival, Russia (2015). Audacious Bangladesh Award (2018) - ACI Group, Bangladesh. Best Cinematographer Award (2018) - WhatsON, Bangladesh.