Project Happiness is a 2011 documentary film created, narrated, and produced by Randy Taran and directed by John Sorenson. The documentary follows students on three continents as they search for the meaning of “lasting happiness”.
Happiness I want more! From the alleys of Nigeria and the beaches of California to the mountains of India, ordinary young people lead us on an extraordinary journey to explore the nature of lasting happiness and end up starting a movement.
The film focuses on four teens from Santa Cruz, California. Each faces personal obstacles to happiness: loss, alienation and the everyday challenges of being a teenager passing into adulthood. Project Happiness introduces them to their peers in Nigeria and India and quickly leaves lectures and books behind. In addition to connecting with each other, the teens engage in conversations with cultural icons George Lucas, Richard Gere and groundbreaking neuroscientist Richard Davidson. At the end of their year together, the three groups converge in Dharamsala, India for a rare private interview with the Dalai Lamaan event that rocks their expectations, brings more questions than answers and marks a new chapter in their lives.
For the individuals involved in the film, this was the journey of a lifetime. For the world, it is an opportunity to see through the eyes of young people what is most important in the human quest for lasting happiness. Their experiences ignited a global movement to empower people to discover happiness within and impact the world around them.