Nepali filmmaker Binod Paudel traveled 12,000 miles across the globe to chronicle the story of refugees in Akron.

The growth of Bhutanese-Nepali refugees living here has drawn local and national press attention in recent years. Paudel would like to push the story further by creating a new film. The working title: “Akron International.”

Paudel has been in Akron for the past month conducting research and working on a script.

“When I arrived in Akron, I met some of the families. They are struggling to adapt to the culture," he said.

"Their journey has been painful. That touched my heart. These people were thrown out of Bhutan and then they were in camps in Nepal and now they are in the United States. Leaving your own country behind is so hard. But they are making a life in Akron now."

During a previous trip to Akron, Paudel shot a short documentary about the immigrants’ struggles and successes. That experience motivated him to make a full-length dramatic film.

The 40-year-old writer-director is also the CEO of Oscar International College, a film school in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he lives with his wife and son.

During his stay in Akron, Paudel also will be showing his latest film, “Bulbul.” It screens at 4 p.m. Friday at the Akron-Summit County Library and 6 p.m. Saturday at the Exchange House.

“Bulbul,” which means bubble, stars Nepali actress and model Swastima Khadka as a woman battling the oppressive limitations of her culture.

“She is a Nepali woman who drives a cab. Her husband has been gone for years working abroad and she is taking care of her paralyzed father-in-law. She meets a man and falls in love,” said Paudel.

“She lives in a traditional culture, a very closed society, but at the same time she is filled with desires and love. There is a conflict between that and society. It is a love story and at the same time a social-psychological drama.”

The filmmaker said that the reality facing many families in Nepal is that the men go abroad to earn money and the women stay home and care for the family. Many of the jobs are in Saudi Arabia. “The men go there to find work, but their employers take their passports," he said. "It is hard for them to return home.”

Paudel plans to stay in Akron through the end of July. He will introduce "Bulbul" at both events, answer questions and discuss the refugee situation. About 5,000 Bhutanese-Nepali refugees live in Akron, with many of them settling in North Hill.

As for his "Akron International" project, Paudel hopes to have that film finished by March.

"Their story is very emotional for me," he said. "I realized, what if I was a refugee? Yet there are positive aspects as well. There are so many organizations helping people here. I wanted to tell that story. I wanted to capture that life.”

Clint O’Connor covers pop culture. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 or coconnor@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClintOMovies.