Pawo Choyning Dorji gives his familiar fish-out-of-water themes a gentle workout in the unusual setting of rural Bhutan. The mountain settlement of Lunana is certainly the last place that Ugyen Dorji (Sherab Dorji) wants to be, in fact the young teacher is rather too cool for school in general, dreaming instead of emigrating to Australia. The remote posting to Lunana is obviously intended as a punishment from the education ministry and a reminder that Ugyen is supposed to be a part of the Gross Happiness Initiative - a genuine policy you can read more about here.
While definitely no party political broadcast, the writer/director certainly is out to softly illustrate the charms of this holistic philosophy as Ugyen is met by villagers Michen (Ugyen Norbu Lhendup) and Singye (Tshering Dorji) for the eight-day trek that will take him away from what he considers to be civilisation from spring until winter.
While definitely no party political broadcast, the writer/director certainly is out to softly illustrate the charms of this holistic philosophy as Ugyen is met by villagers Michen (Ugyen Norbu Lhendup) and Singye (Tshering Dorji) for the eight-day trek that will take him away from what he considers to be civilisation from spring until winter.
- 3/8/2023
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Films from Bhutan are rare on this side of the Globe and we are always happy when one comes our way, even more so when it’s as charming as “Lunana: a Yak in the Classroom”, Pawo Choyning Dorji’s highland-based drama that is having its World Premiere at the London Film Festival. The director – who also wrote it and produced it – had jumped to the international film business attention not long ago for producing “Hema Hema: Sing Me A Song While I Wait”, one of the movie that contributed to place Bhutan on the filmmaking and festival map.
“Jiseok” is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
Thimphu is Bhutan’s capital city and like in many other places connectivity and access that technology and social media bring with them has crept into the dreams and desires of young people. Ugyen (Sherab Dorji) for example, cannot wait...
“Jiseok” is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
Thimphu is Bhutan’s capital city and like in many other places connectivity and access that technology and social media bring with them has crept into the dreams and desires of young people. Ugyen (Sherab Dorji) for example, cannot wait...
- 3/7/2023
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
The trusty old tale of a city slicker teacher being posted to a school in the sticks is given a fresh coat of paint in the delightful Bhutanese comic drama “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom.” Gloriously filmed on staggeringly beautiful locations around the most remote school on Earth and wonderfully performed by a cast comprised almost exclusively of first-time actors, this big-hearted crowd-pleaser marks a bright debut for writer-director Pawo Choyning Dorji. After winning audience awards at numerous festivals including Palm Springs and Cairo, “Lunana” will line up as Bhutan’s official entry in this year’s Oscar international feature race.
Premiering at London in 2019, “Lunana” was forced to withdraw from the 2020 international Oscar category on a technicality related to the formal nomination process. It’s fair and correct for this charmer to now be accepted and become the Himalayan country’s first submission since Khyentse Norbu’s 1999 hit “The Cup,...
Premiering at London in 2019, “Lunana” was forced to withdraw from the 2020 international Oscar category on a technicality related to the formal nomination process. It’s fair and correct for this charmer to now be accepted and become the Himalayan country’s first submission since Khyentse Norbu’s 1999 hit “The Cup,...
- 12/19/2021
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
Pema Tshering is an eclectic visual artist from Bhutan who likes pursuing his ideas and projects with whatever technique most suits them. Painting, sculpture, comic books, films and animations are some of the fields he has explored. “In The Realm of The Gods” is one of his detours in the film-making.
“In The Realm of The Gods” is screening on Beskop
Kaka has been a mask dancer and a teacher of the same art for 9 years and he is rather good at what he does. In fact, the film opens at the dance institute where someone is congratulating highly with him. It is only later though, when he stops at a convenience shop on his way home that we start to understand a bit more of his life. Kaka cannot pay what he buys and kindly asks the shopkeeper to add it to his long to-pay list. Once at home...
“In The Realm of The Gods” is screening on Beskop
Kaka has been a mask dancer and a teacher of the same art for 9 years and he is rather good at what he does. In fact, the film opens at the dance institute where someone is congratulating highly with him. It is only later though, when he stops at a convenience shop on his way home that we start to understand a bit more of his life. Kaka cannot pay what he buys and kindly asks the shopkeeper to add it to his long to-pay list. Once at home...
- 3/15/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
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