The world never expected that a Bhutanese
Film Industry would tell the story of the small Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan in
the Oscars. The Bhutanese Drama Film made to the much awaited Oscars nomination
2022 final list along with other four films from hundreds others. It is the
first ever Bhutanese film to be nominated for the Oscars award in the history
of Bhutan and there are every chances that the trophy would come home.
The journey to the nomination for 94th Academy Awards was challenging right from the registration phase where Bhutan was not even in the list of countries applying for the nominations. The versatile Director & Producer of the film, Pawo Choyning Dorji shares in his interviews that he had to wait until the website was updated with our country name and language (Dzongkha) details at the final hour. While, the film has so far entered in 12 Internationals Film Festivals to winning The Audience Choice Award at the 31st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival in 2020 since its debut in October, 2019.
LUNANA: A Yak in The Classroom will
tell us the truth of finding the happiness in the light of darkness through the
story of a young teacher who was placed in the world’s remotest school. At first
he regrets coming to such a place with no basic amenities but slowly begins to
love his students and the environment. However, his dreams to pursue his
singing career in Australia haunts him inside. He leaves to his dream land
breaking the hearts of his students especially of the little class captain Pem
Zam. He becomes the best and favorite teacher of those innocent students and write
him a letter to return to them in Spring.
In general, it’s about the
happiness we seek within us in a GNH country, our education system and the
young Bhutanese leaving for greener pastures in foreign land in pursuit of
happiness and comfort. It’s the sad reality that hundreds of young and
potential Bhutanese leaving amid the pandemic which might lead to the brain
drain crisis sooner or later. Are we failing in the education or the system of
education or in any field? Can we find more happiness in the dark valley of
Lunana like those innocent children and the community living there for ages?
The answer is big YES and Ugyen soon realizes to come back to embrace his
beloved students and his secret admirer Saldon.
It’s about our tradition and
culture. Ugyen refuses to offer the prayers to local deity on his way to school
when his guide Michen suggest but he does on his way back to capital. He practices
and sings Yak Lebi Lhadar a traditional song of Lunana Yak herders. He accepts
the reception and see off simple ceremonies with prayers/songs and recall his
guides Michen and Singye singing over the open jungle fire place on their 8
days’ perilous way to school while he was on the western music over the
headphones. The Yak dung becomes the practical way of lighting a fire in a
place where electricity has no place. The Yak Norbu inside the class room
becomes the catchy title for the world but it has more to do with students,
teacher and Saldon who gifts to Ugyen. It’s a symbol of love and bond between
all of them.
It’s about the ever changing
world of modernization into climate change and the environment. His guide
Michen shares the declining snow line story over the peaks to valley that
represent our pristine environment and nature with deep concern. Are we not
responsible for the global warming and climate change? We all ought to be the
environment champion to the world in all times to come. It is our personal to
social to national to regional to global responsibility for the humanity. It’s also
about the poverty line we normally ignore as in the movie with a child wearing
a red plastic boot. Ugyen stares at the boot of a host child who was fondly
wearing in the kitchen fire place as a guest with his guides on his way to
school. While, the elderly people choose bare foot over any foot wear or
expensive shoes walking in muds and thorns. Yet they are happy and contended
but what about the lot those who don’t have proper clothing and foods? They
need our helping hand and compassionate heart.
It’s about the leadership we
need at the grassroots level as shown by Asha Gup (the village head). It’s not
only about the qualification and highly trained leadership skills one poses but
a simple hospitability and the cooperation we give to the other person on time
of need. His timely help to put a wooden blackboard over the wall put smiles on
Ugeyn and his students face. The Gups in our 205 gewogs has immense
contributions in the communities especially for the schools as most of the
extended class rooms and primary schools are under their jurisdiction for
budget and developmental activities. My friend Jigme Jamtsho, an officiating
principal of Bukey Primary School, Samtse is a living example and the Gup there
who poses all these true qualities of leadership.
It’s about the passion of
teaching and learning irrespective of the facilities in place. The skills to
manage and learn with least resources. Ugyen sacrifices his paper curtain over
the window and use it for his students. He signs for his students and the Yak
Norbu finally. Are we chasing the wrong dreams and living the disguised
reality? May be Yes because every one of us wanted to pursue a high profile job
when we graduated from high school. However, we landed up in no choice option
of teaching and other low profile jobs in the market where our focus and
passion are compromised for quality. We are lately realizing the skill based
education which is not too late for us.
And it’s about the burning
passion of every child not just of the innocent Pem Zam to learn the every
subject they ought to study. Their relationship as a teacher-student is amazing
and the role of class captain by Pem Zam is the heart of the movie. This cute
innocent girl with natural charisma is a born actor and simply authentic.
If Oscar award comes home this Monday
on 28th March, 2022, the one criteria I would set for the win would
be simplicity and authenticity of natural acting by every characters in the
movie apart from the main themes. In life everything is beautiful when it is in
natural state. We tend to seek the beauty and happiness in the fake and far
world outside where every happiness and beauties lies within us.
LUNANA: A Yak In The Classroom
is a unique movie to outside world from the title itself but is a common quest
of happiness for all as a human being. The movie location itself is chosen
particularly at Lunana which means a dark valley where people’s perception of
seeing the light is less but in reality the spark is within us. The metaphor of
our lives played by the characters and the real lives of Lunana people in the
movie is the truth and reality of all human being to be in constant state of
happiness.
If Oscars had to see the
technical criteria from filming and cinematography point of view, then also it’s
nothing less in the making of the film. It was in fact filmed with the most
challenging resources right from all crew members and the raw actors who has
never faced a camera before. It was shot on the remotest village on solar
powered battery without out much option to do recap and video editing often as
required. The Director of the film shares that the toughest category of the
film making is with animals and children where the center of attraction in the
movie is by Pem Zam and the yak Norbu.
This is a must win Oscars movie
for me in this over dreamy world of dreams, desires, power, ego, hatreds and
war. We can be happy and contended in our small home and space. We don’t need
big house or more money to shelter ourselves from the quest of happiness in
faraway place as long as we are alive every moment. We don’t need so much
modernized world of science and technology of AI and robotic to loose ourselves
to the them sooner or later. We are already in the verge of extinction over our
own discovery of bioscience and nuclear energy. We are choosing the wrong path
against the nature in the name of technology. One can get the glimpse of this
reality in this Oscar winning movie. Watch the movie , if you have not and contemplate yourself.
