Bhutan as a country is high on the gross happiness index and a large number of people are happy and content. However there is a percentage of people who would like to migrate to technologically advanced countries to make a life of material happiness. This movie is a story one such young man Sherab Dorji, a teacher in Thimpu who wants to move to Australia, become a singer and have a modern lifestyle. (In an impressive scene the village headman says that people have achieved happiness in Bhutan, so why do some go foreign lands in search of happiness ?) Since Sherab is bound by contract with the Bhutanese government, he is asked to go to a far off place Lunana high in the hills on a teaching assignment for one year. It is a village with a population of 56 only. Very reluctantly he moves out there but the 8 hour trek on difficult mountain terrain followed by the discomforts of daily life with no electricity, internet are too much for him. He wants to go back to Thimpu but the overwhelming love and affection of the local people and his 8 school students make him emotional.
I was curious to see what the Oscar Academy members liked in this film to give it a nomination for best foreign language film. Maybe they had got bowled over by the sheer simplicity and sweetness of the narrative. ( Maybe like Satyajit Ray's "Panther Panchali" was hailed as a classic about 70 years ago ) The movie is embellished with some mesmerising cinematography which captures the rural landscape admirably. Lots of forest greenery and a number of meandering streams. While the scenes are heartwarming, the narrative is slow and laidback , a hallmark of a classic I think. One needs some patience to sit through some portions. There are endearing scenes like the class captain Pen Zam coming to get the teacher on the first day. Sherab sets up the classroom from scratch with blackboard ,charts and teaches them ABC, maths, brushing their teeth, basketball and singing etc etc.
What about the Yak in the classroom? Yes there is one happy yak in the rear munching grass whose dung can be used as fuel.
I was curious to see what the Oscar Academy members liked in this film to give it a nomination for best foreign language film. Maybe they had got bowled over by the sheer simplicity and sweetness of the narrative. ( Maybe like Satyajit Ray's "Panther Panchali" was hailed as a classic about 70 years ago ) The movie is embellished with some mesmerising cinematography which captures the rural landscape admirably. Lots of forest greenery and a number of meandering streams. While the scenes are heartwarming, the narrative is slow and laidback , a hallmark of a classic I think. One needs some patience to sit through some portions. There are endearing scenes like the class captain Pen Zam coming to get the teacher on the first day. Sherab sets up the classroom from scratch with blackboard ,charts and teaches them ABC, maths, brushing their teeth, basketball and singing etc etc.
What about the Yak in the classroom? Yes there is one happy yak in the rear munching grass whose dung can be used as fuel.