Rowshon Ara Nipa
- Writer
- Director
Rowshon Ara Rukhshana Sarker
Professional Name: Rowshon Ara Nipa
Cell:+1 347-744-5771
BIO:
Award-winning Film Director and Writer Rowshon Ara Nipa was born on 5th February 1974 in Sirajgonj,
Bangladesh. Nipa is a fighter and revolutionary who has committed her life to struggle alongside her
community. Before coming to organizing, Nipa was a filmmaker and theater worker. Coming from a
society in Bangladesh where working class women were restricted in the types of professions they could
choose, Nipa faced the familial and social challenges of an oppressive and patriarchal society. While
confronting these challenges, she struggled to forge her own path and be true to herself and her
commitments. In 2004, she won an international Emmy for her journalistic work with unprivileged, working
class children and traveled abroad for the first time. In 2017 Nipa came to the US again as an Extra
Ordinary immigrant and became a DRUM member. At first she was excited and nervous about engaging
in mass organizing work, but has since gained a deep love and commitment for this work. In recent years,
she has been committed to the development and sustainability of working class women's leadership. She
dreams of a movement full of leaders struggling together towards revolutionary change. Besides
Organizing She is doing film making and writing based on her community organizing experiences which
are the reflections of the truly working class.
In 2022 She was proclaimed by City Councilor Amanda Farias dist-18 NY and assembly member Karines
Reyes Dist-87 for the work of development and sustainability of the leadership of working class and
immigrant women.
In her journalist and film career she achieved a few notable recognition nationally and internationally :
32nd International Emmy Award in 2004 ( Documentary - Amrao pari - We can)
Anannay Top Ten Achievers - 2005
Meena Media Award - 2005
BACSAS Award -2008
Festival Screening and recognition
International Emmy -2004, USA
Unesco Open Frame festival- 2005, India
International peace Festival -2005 France
International film Festival - 2015 , Urisha , India
Her current productions are :
"Can you Please listen to me" : Short film, post- production stage
The Paper Wife : Feature film , Pre -Production stage
She is a graduate of Rajshahi College and Rajshahi University, where she grew interested in stage plays
and performances.
As a student, she worked on and off stage in theater. After completing university, Nipa completed a basic
course on audio-visual program-making at Worldview International Foundation (1999). Following the
successful completion of this course, she began directing documentaries focused on social issues. Her
first documentary was a partnership with UNICEF titled, "Modhur Amar Mayer Hashi," (1999) which
details the high risks of death during pregnancy across Bangladesh.
During the same year, Nipa joined Ekushey Television as a producer for the program Mukta Khobor,
Bangladesh's first children's news program.
In 2004, she received the International Emmy Award from International Children's Day of Broadcasting
(ICDB) in the Documentary Category for "Amrao Pari". "Amrao Pari" traces the lives of underprivileged
children.
In 2005, she released a Docu-fiction film "Children in the Hidden World" which tells the story of Pory, a
sex worker's daughter and her own path to sex work.
In the same year, she received the Meena Media Award & Anonna Top Ten Achievers for her contribution
in media. She was also recognized at the Unesco Open Frame Festival in New Delhi, India for her
children's show "Tepantorer Mathey" (In the Mysterious Land).
Nipa has produced and directed many TV shows including, "Jhinge Phuler Deshe", "Nari O Nakhatra,"
and "Jibone Jibon Ano". "Jibone Jibon Ano'' was Bangladesh's first live talk show on drug addiction and
mental health issues. The show aired on a weekly basis on RTV from 2007-2008 and contained
approximately 80 episodes. She was awarded the Bachsas Award for this show in 2008.
She worked in popular Bangladeshi television channels such as ETV, RTV, ATN Bangla, and NTV
between 2000-2010 and later started her own production house named "Master Opera" in 2008, where
she led as Creative Head and Managing Director. She produced many fictional dramas, short films &
documentaries and a full length feature film.
She's produced many documentaries in collaboration with national and international organizations like
UNICEF Bangladesh, International Labor Organization (ILO), Action Aid Bangladesh, Care Bangladesh,
Bangladesh Centre for Communication Services Programs (BCCP), Plan International Bangladesh.