In 2022, Adamant Studios proudly marked a milestone in our journey with the international recognition of The Story of the Dew—a powerful documentary that won the prestigious NHK Japan Prize in the Educational Media category. This film not only spotlighted our capacity for world-class storytelling but also reaffirmed our commitment to using visual media to create meaningful impact. Today, we invite you behind the scenes to explore how this project came to life, the challenges we faced, and the magic that made it resonate globally.
🌿 The Spark Behind the Story
The idea for The Story of the Dew emerged from a simple but powerful truth: children’s voices often go unheard, especially in developing countries like Bangladesh. We set out to create a poetic yet raw narrative that captured the dreams, fears, and resilience of children growing up in underserved communities. The goal was to make their invisible struggles visible—without sensationalism, just truth and empathy.
Writer-director Hasanul Huq Jacky envisioned a film that would blend documentary realism with visual poetry, focusing not just on facts, but on feelings. That vision would become the foundation for everything to follow.
🎬 Pre-Production: Research, Scripting, and Planning
Creating an internationally competitive documentary begins with a strong concept, but it also demands meticulous planning. Months before filming, our team conducted field research in rural and urban parts of Bangladesh to understand the lives of the children we intended to portray.
We interviewed families, teachers, and child welfare workers. We worked with NGOs to ensure ethical representation. From this, a script-treatment emerged—one that combined personal narratives with thematic storytelling around education, poverty, and hope.
Producer Buply Akter, who has overseen every Adamant Studios project since 2012, managed logistics, budgets, and location arrangements, ensuring that each phase of production was seamless, ethical, and well-documented.
🎥 Production: Capturing the Emotion in Real Time
Filming The Story of the Dew was both rewarding and challenging. We used natural light, minimal crew, and handheld cameras to remain unobtrusive and authentic. Much of the filming took place in remote villages, where weather, transportation, and communication posed daily hurdles.
But what we gained was invaluable—genuine moments of laughter, vulnerability, and strength. Cinematography played a key role. Every shot was composed to evoke emotion without exploiting the subjects. We wanted audiences to feel what the children were going through, not just see it.
We also implemented a bilingual shoot (Bengali and English subtitles) to ensure accessibility for international audiences.
✂️ Post-Production: Editing with Empathy
Post-production took three intense months. Jacky, also the film’s editor, approached the cut with sensitivity. “Every frame had to earn its place,” he said. The result was a 20-minute film that felt intimate, urgent, and emotionally resonant.
Color grading, sound design, and subtitling were carefully executed to enhance the storytelling without overpowering it. We even consulted child psychologists and educators to make sure our tone was responsible and appropriate for a global educational audience.
🏆 Submission and Success
When we submitted The Story of the Dew to the NHK Japan Prize, we were hopeful—but not expecting the level of response we received. Out of hundreds of entries worldwide, our documentary was awarded first place, making it one of the few Bangladeshi productions ever to receive such an honor.
The NHK Jury praised the film’s "emotional depth, sensitivity to subject matter, and cinematic beauty." For Adamant Studios, it was not just a win—it was a statement that meaningful stories from Bangladesh can touch hearts across borders.
🌍 Why This Matters
Winning the NHK Japan Prize was not just a feather in our cap—it was a call to action. It proved that small teams with big visions can create change. It reminded us that educational media is not just about information—it's about empathy, dignity, and connection.
