Buffalo 8 Acquires Oscar and Emmy-Nominated Bruce Dern's Bhutanese-American Drama "The World's Happiest Man"
In a significant move, Buffalo 8 has secured worldwide rights to the upcoming Bhutanese-Nepali-American drama "The World's Happiest Man," starring Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Bruce Dern. The ensemble film, written and directed by Binod Paudel, is set in Akron, Ohio, and follows the story of Bishnu, a Bhutanese Nepali who has built a life in America but yearns to return to his homeland.
After receiving a devastating visa denial, Bishnu's unexpected death sparks a spiritual, emotional, and cultural reckoning across three generations of his family. The film explores themes of identity, belonging, and the complexities of the Bhutanese-Nepali diaspora experience.
Dern is joined by an accomplished cast, including Nepali stalwarts Haribansha Acharya and Dayahang Rai, as well as Aditi Pyakurel, Joes Pandey, Richa Ghimire, Pooja Chand, Anuradha Majumder, Bimal Subedi, Gurpreet Singh, and Tom Crain.
The film has been drawn from Paudel's own experiences with the Bhutanese-Nepali diaspora community in the American Midwest. The movie participated in the 2019 Busan Asian Project Market and was produced by a team including Rajendra Thakurathi, Amitabh Joshi, Kirtana Banskota, and Abeeral Thapa.
Buffalo 8 will handle the film's launch across TVOD and digital platforms, with plans for an international rollout through early 2026. The movie will be available for pre-order on Fandango at Home starting December 26 and will debut on Amazon, Fandango at Home, Verizon Fios, and major cable providers.
Watch the trailer for "The World's Happiest Man" here, offering a glimpse into this poignant drama about identity, community, and what it means to be home.
In a significant move, Buffalo 8 has secured worldwide rights to the upcoming Bhutanese-Nepali-American drama "The World's Happiest Man," starring Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Bruce Dern. The ensemble film, written and directed by Binod Paudel, is set in Akron, Ohio, and follows the story of Bishnu, a Bhutanese Nepali who has built a life in America but yearns to return to his homeland.
After receiving a devastating visa denial, Bishnu's unexpected death sparks a spiritual, emotional, and cultural reckoning across three generations of his family. The film explores themes of identity, belonging, and the complexities of the Bhutanese-Nepali diaspora experience.
Dern is joined by an accomplished cast, including Nepali stalwarts Haribansha Acharya and Dayahang Rai, as well as Aditi Pyakurel, Joes Pandey, Richa Ghimire, Pooja Chand, Anuradha Majumder, Bimal Subedi, Gurpreet Singh, and Tom Crain.
The film has been drawn from Paudel's own experiences with the Bhutanese-Nepali diaspora community in the American Midwest. The movie participated in the 2019 Busan Asian Project Market and was produced by a team including Rajendra Thakurathi, Amitabh Joshi, Kirtana Banskota, and Abeeral Thapa.
Buffalo 8 will handle the film's launch across TVOD and digital platforms, with plans for an international rollout through early 2026. The movie will be available for pre-order on Fandango at Home starting December 26 and will debut on Amazon, Fandango at Home, Verizon Fios, and major cable providers.
Watch the trailer for "The World's Happiest Man" here, offering a glimpse into this poignant drama about identity, community, and what it means to be home.
... i mean, the guy is an Oscar nominee and all but ive been following the Bhutanese-Nepali community in Akron for years and im curious to see how theyve woven their story into a cinematic experience. the themes of identity and belonging are gonna resonate with so many people i know, its like we're not alone in feeling this way 
. cant wait to watch it when its out on Fandango at Home next month 
. I love how the film explores themes of identity and belonging - especially for the Bhutanese-Nepali community here in the States. It's not always easy to navigate cultural differences and find your place in a new land, you know? Bruce Dern looks like he brings a lot of depth to his role as Bishnu... 
can't wait to see how the whole story unfolds! 
... I'm curious to see how it all comes together, especially with Binod Paudel drawing from his own experiences. The themes of identity & belonging are so important, and I hope this film sheds some light on what it means to be home, no matter where you're from 
. The cast looks amazing too, with some familiar faces from Nepali cinema. Can't wait for the release, especially since Buffalo 8 is handling distribution, they must know what they're doing 
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! I mean, can you imagine watching Bruce Dern's performance on "The World's Happiest Man" - he always brings that extra depth to his characters, you know? 
... can't wait to see Bruce Dern bring this powerful story to life on the big screen 
. It just seems like another soulless Hollywood production churning out content to appeal to the lowest common denominator... what's the real story here?
! have been waiting for a proper bhutanese-American film like this one. think its gonna bring some much needed representation to the screen, you know? about the diaspora experience and all that... anyway, hope bruce dern gives a great performance as bishnu 
!