In this podcast, Arun Bhattarai, talks about the "Mountain Man," the first Bhutanese documentary to qualify for the Oscars (2025). The film features Bhutan's first qualified glaciologist Phuntsho Tshering.
He also talks about his latest film "Agent of Happiness" that is the first Bhutanese documentary to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Arun shares what it takes to make documentaries, the process, his journey, and more.
00:00-Intro
1:15-On qualifying for the Oscars 2025
3:12-Filming the Oscars entry Mountain Man
6:42-Climate Change in Mountain Man
11:15-Journey of filming documentaries
11:42-The film Agent of Happiness at Sundance
13:45-Looking for love
17:35-Studying filmmaking in Europe
19:14-Funding for independent filmmakers
20:18-On the film The Next Guardian
25:06-Where to watch the films
28:31-Queer characters in the films