By: RO Maung Shwe
In a world where the stories of stateless people are too often silenced, Faizan Arakan Production has emerged as a revolutionary voice from within the Rohingya community.
Based in Thailand and led by a team of determined youth in exile, this filmmaking collective documents the beauty, sorrow, and resilience of the Rohingya people—transforming lived pain into cinematic power.
At the heart of this movement is a survivor-turned-storyteller: Mr. Rahim Ullah, a Rohingya filmmaker who has turned his personal exile into a mission to preserve collective memory through film.
The Untold Backstory of Rahim Ullah: From Persecuted Youth to Community Leader
Rahim Ullah was born in Taungbazar Dumbai village in Buthidaung Township, Rakhine State (Arakan), where he was studying in Grade 10. Like many Rohingya youths, he once dreamed of completing his education and building a peaceful life in his homeland.
However, his relationship with a girl from the village led to escalating threats when her family and the local administrator (a former friend) exploited the situation for personal revenge.
Under threat of financial extortion and social harassment, Rahim was forced to leave both his home and his aging parents.
Seeking refuge and opportunity, he moved to Yangon, and eventually to Bangkok in 2012. In Thailand, life was unforgiving. “There were days I couldn’t afford one proper meal,” Rahim recalls.
He worked under others before starting his own small business in 2015. Through perseverance, he became self-sufficient. But even in his success, he carried with him a deep longing for his people and a determination to keep their stories alive.
“I didn’t create Faizan Arakan Production for income,” he says. “I created it so our people’s history doesn’t disappear.”
Faizan Arakan Production: A Platform for Rohingya Identity
Founded by Rahim Ullah and supported by fellow Rohingya in exile, Faizan Arakan Production uses film as both a cultural archive and a call to conscience. From short fictional dramas to realistic documentaries, their works focus on:
- Life in Arakan before and after persecution
- Gender roles and relationships inside Rohingya culture
- Social issues like dowry abuse, trafficking, and child marriage
- The psychological toll of displacement
- Cultural preservation—language, dress, rituals, music, humor
Their films are made by Rohingya, for Rohingya, yet resonate with international audiences who seek to understand the depth of the Rohingya experience beyond news headlines.
Currently, they have over 106,000 YouTube subscribers and 26,000 Facebook followers, making them one of the most influential Rohingya-led creative platforms online.
Mission, Vision, and Values
The goals of Faizan Arakan Production are rooted in both urgency and hope:
- Documenting Rohingya culture and identity before it fades in diaspora.
- Educating the global audience about the genocide, persecution, and ongoing statelessness.
- Inspiring Rohingya youth to value their language, heritage, and community.
- Challenging harmful social practices such as child labor, child marriage, and dowry abuse.
- Empowering women through inclusion in storytelling and performance.
- Combating human trafficking, drug abuse, and domestic violence.
- Fostering unity and leadership among a fragmented refugee generation.
Faces Behind the Camera: Key Team Members
Despite having no film school training or formal support, the team has become a professional grassroots film unit, with each member taking on multiple roles:
- Director: Rahim Ullah
- Cameraman/Editor: Shaggy Vai
- Actors: Junaid Khan, Hafizul Korim
- Actresses: Husna, Yasmin, Shobnam
- Antagonists (Villain Roles): Mohammad Sadek, Mohammad Tariq
- Comedic/Light Roles: Mohammad Yunos
- Human Smuggler Role (Daa lal): Mohammad Johar (Kyaw Kyaw)
- Multi-role Performer: Eliyas (Ro Nay Hla Twin)
- Producer: Zeyabur Rahman
Each member volunteers their time outside of regular jobs—often after long hours of labor in factories or markets. Whenever Rahim Ullah calls, they arrive, not for money, but for the love of their people.
Filmmaking Amid Constraints: From Creativity to Courage
Creating films without a studio, funding, or access to locations is incredibly difficult. The team often films in basic accommodations, refugee hostels, or outdoor spaces.
They reuse costumes, share equipment, and work with zero external sponsorship. Women actresses face added challenges, including community criticism, social barriers, and the risk of misinterpretation.
Despite it all, Faizan Arakan Production has created dozens of films—some fictional, some educational, others documenting lived realities of the Rohingya in both Arakan and exile.
A Turning Point: Government Approval in Thailand
Thanks to Rahim’s perseverance and respect for Thai law, Faizan Arakan Production is now officially approved by the Thai government.
This enables the team to operate their YouTube channel legally, travel within Thailand for production purposes, and share their work more freely.
Rahim acknowledges this milestone with gratitude:
“Thailand has shown us kindness. They treat all foreign workers equally. We strictly follow their laws and will always remain respectful.”
Films That Captivate the Rohingya Spirit
- “ROHINGYA” – Their first major feature, introducing the cultural and historical identity of the Rohingya.
Watch: YouTube Link - “Adore Kinogore” – Their most-watched drama, with over 725,000 views on YouTube in just six months. It explores the tensions and emotional landscapes of love, exile, and social change.
Watch: YouTube Link
These aren’t just entertainment—they’re educational narratives, breaking taboos and opening dialogue within and beyond the community.
A Self-Funded Vision
The biggest challenge Faizan Arakan Production faces is sustainability. Every film costs money—for props, sound, camera gear, transport, editing software. Yet, there are no grants, no NGOs, and no institutional partners.
Almost all costs are personally covered by Rahim Ullah, who uses his business income to finance the mission. Other members contribute what they can from their wages. The commitment is total—but the pressure is real.
Looking Forward: Dreams Beyond Exile
Rahim dreams of establishing a full-time Rohingya media studio that offers acting training for youth, with a particular focus on empowering girls to enter thecreative fields.
He hopes to collaborate with international filmmakers to co-produce documentaries, animations, and multi-lingual films that bring the Rohingya story to broader platforms.
“If we lose our stories, we lose everything,” he says. “Even in exile, we must document our truth—for our children, and the world.”
Conclusion: Where Cinema Meets Resistance
Faizan Arakan Production is not just a filmmaking team—it is a cultural lifeline, a digital homeland, and a movement. In a time of displacement, their films offer belonging.
In the absence of rights, their camera offers voice. And in the shadow of statelessness, their stories offer light.
As the world continues to overlook the Rohingya, these young men and women refuse to remain invisible.
Through cinema, they reclaim dignity, preserve history, and shape the narrative of a people who have endured too much to be forgotten.
