Fimmaker's Dilemma

The DVDs and CDs are marked Nu 50 but can come down to Nu 20, if one can bargain.

“The quality is good. It saves time and the expense of going to a movie theatre where you’ve to pay Nu 150,” says a monk, who picks up a copy of the film, Sawadeekhrap.

The vendors selling the stuff say they buy it from Siliguri, India, while some say it comes from Nepal. They refuse to be photographed and get agitated when further questioned.

Vendors claim to sell about 50 to 60 copies a day with some Bhutanese purchasing in bulk. Even music CDs of latest films like Seldrup is easily available.

“It’s disheartening to know that our movies are sold cheap across the border. If this continues, in the long run, people may stop coming to movie theatres,” said Tshering Wangyel, a prolific local filmmaker, who churns out as many as four movies a year, Bollywood style.

Tshering Wangyel said that the Bhutanese film industry is still at its infancy; therefore it’s important to curb the practice. “I don’t blame the Indians. Ultimately it’s us, the Bhutanese. It’s our negligence,” he said.

He pointed out that Bhutanese movies are copied from master copies, which is why the quality of pirated movies is good. This issue continues to confound and frustrate local film directors and producers.

“We don’t know how it’s being leaked and it’s quite disturbing,” said Wangchuk, the vice president of the motion pictures association of Bhutan (MPAB). He said that some progress had been made in the association’s investigations into the matter. “We know there are two Bhutanese guys, who are connected to the Jaigaon sellers, and who also copy the master copies in Siliguri,” he said. “But we aren’t yet able to identify them.”

In Bhutan, when movies are screened in dzongkhags, producers hire staff to screen them, explained Tshering Wangyel. “I think that’s how the copies get leaked,” he said.

Namgay Tshering of NT sound and vision said that, unless the government and the concerned agencies intervene, there would be no end. “It’s dampening the spirit of the whole film industry and its fraternity,” he said. Namgay Tshering recently filed a case with the Thimphu district court, regarding the piracy of the film, Pho-Mho’s Bartshay (Lover’s Barrier) by the producer from whom NT sound and vision bought the audiovisual rights. He is also following up on the trial of the copyright issue of his film, 49 Day I, which has been going on for more than a year, he said. “Even when people involved are taken to the court, it doesn’t serve the purpose,” he said.

But in what should be exciting news for the local film and music industry, the government demonstrated a hint of seriousness when it recently brought concerned agencies, such as the police and customs for a meeting to strengthen enforcement efforts.

Intellectual property division’s (IPD) Kencho Palden told Kuensel that a rulebook is currently being drafted to make enforcement agencies clearly aware of their roles in curbing piracy. He said that concerned agencies, including the judiciary, had not been fully aware of their responsibilities.

“The police will be able to investigate, search, confiscate pirated products and take pirates to court,” said Kencho. He added that customs would shortly begin searching for pirated goods at entry points, such as Bhutan gate in Phuentsholing.

On whether this would mean businesses currently renting and selling pirated versions of Hollywood and Bollywood films would also need to comply with copyright laws, Kencho said that, since this was already prohibited by the customs act, “at a later stage customs will have to crack down on them also.”

One of the vendors in Jaigaon said, “What’s so great about Bhutanese movies, anyways? They all appear like a remake of a Bollywood film with similar songs and dances,” he said.

Over the years, a couple of Bhutanese film songs have also been adapted from popular Tibetan and Hindi songs.

For instance, the song, Phu ru ru from Zhizang is similar to the Tibetan song, Nyenduma, and the original version of the song is in English. Similarly, tunes like Apa and Nge gi sem gi dhunghe na from sZhendhen is similar to Nge sempa khesong (Tibetan) and Dekha ek khwaab mein (Hindi).

On this, the director of the movie sZhendhen, Tshering Wangyel, opines, “It’s not fully lifted or copied but adapted. At times, whenever we do something new, coincidentally it happens to be there already,” he said. “Whatever’s adapted has our own identity. It’s performed by Bhutanese and in our national dress,” he reasons, adding that many rigsar (new songs) tunes also sound similar.

IPD’s Kencho Palden, who is a design examiner, said he did not “fully agree” with this explanation. He pointed out that, when you adapt, you still required the original author’s “specific permission”. Kencho was not sure if Bhutanese filmmakers consulted and made agreements with the authors of works they adapted.

He said cases of copyright infringement by Bhutanese filmmakers themselves are taking place. “A lot of the ideas are not original,” he said, “sometimes the entire story line is lifted from elsewhere, which is ridiculous.” He added that, if copied especially for commercial purposes, it is a direct infringement of copyright laws.

Kencho pointed out that the possibility of being sued by a Bollywood company for copyright infringement does exist. On why this has not happened yet, he explained that, since the local market was still small, legal fees would probably be more than the returns from legal action taken by an international company.

Influence: Bhutanese Films

Picture this scene: The hero fights off 10 or so bad guys and gets hit by several bullets. What wouldn’t the good guy do for his ladylove? But that’s nothing. After whipping the villains into a pulp and, in the process, catching a few stray bullets mid-air with his bare hands, the hero walks away unscathed. The lovebirds, dressed in their best, then do a song and dance to celebrate. It’s either a tango in the middle of a desert or a bhangra on top of a mountain.

Sounds like the perfect clichéd plot of a Hindi film?

Many new Indian filmmakers are doing away with such formulae and strictures. Instead, emboldened by the developing taste of a burgeoning middle-class in India, moviemakers are breaking new ground, employing novel approaches and styles, with many of their scripts woven around issues related to the new generation of Indians.

For instance, Anurag Basu’s Life in a Metro, released in 2007, addresses issues faced by couples in a metropolis like Mumbai. It was a surprise hit with critics, who enjoyed it, pointing out that the film was original and portrayed more realistically the dynamics of relationships in the city. In India today, typical “masala” films of the 80s and 90s, with highly sensational and unrealistic plots, have few takers.

In Bhutan, observers agree that moviegoers have been largely weaned on Indian films, especially of the past. What impact will the changing direction of Indian cinema have on the Bhutanese film industry?

Filmmaker Tshering Gyeltshen of TG Media and Infotainment (TGMI) in Thimphu believes that the transformation of Indian films would, no doubt, have a positive impact on Bhutanese cinema.

“Bhutanese films have always followed Indian cinema,” said Tshering Gyeltshen, who is also an actor and writer. “Our audience draws heavily on mainstream Indian cinema, so do our filmmakers.”

However, Chenzig Media’s Dorji Wangchuk, who writes and is also the director of an upcoming film Nazhoen Charo, is not sure if “Bollywood offbeat films” would influence Bhutanese movies.

“Bollywood films are not necessarily our main influence,” said Dorji Wangchuk. “It appears that we’re copying Bollywood but that’s not the case. We’re not Bollywood or Bollywood is not us. For instance, the film Travelers and Magicians was a big lesson for most Bhutanese filmmakers.”

But he agrees, at present, only “commercial cinema” sells in Bhutan. At any rate, offbeat films are scripts most Bhutanese producers are unwilling to put their money into. Because they don’t make money, say director Tshering Wangyel.

Tshering Wangyel is a prolific filmmaker and churns out as many as four movies a year, Bollywood style. Potboilers with large dollops of slapstick comedy and, for novelty, filmed partly in foreign locations like Kolkata, Darjeeling and Bangkok. Audiences lap it all up. He directed such hits as Sergyel and the recent Sawadeekhrap. His foray into a serious movie, The Golden Cup, however, did not do as well.

“No producer wants to take risks in a different movie,” said Tshering Wangyel. “As a director, I have to make them come back … at the end of the day, if people come to watch my films and the producers get back their money, I’m happy. That’s also my reward and satisfaction. I make films that audience like.”

Tshering Wangyel is also one of the first Bhutanese directors to make his actors disco dance in his movies, be it inside the club or outside on the grassland, complete with extras to spare. How that looks in a gho or a kira, in full or in half, is people’s opinion.

But it also does not mean films that deviate from the formulaic drones have not done good business. According to viewers, if they are made with the right touches and approaches, like Tshering Gyeltshen’s Muti Thrishing, it definitely holds appeal to people. Tshering Gyeltshen’s movie about a girl, who is forced into prostitution by circumstances, and a journalist, who struggles to understand her even as he falls in love with her, was a huge crowd puller. It was by no means a standard offbeat film, but it was, by all means, a different Bhutanese film, with an engaging and a socially relevant theme to boot.

“The mentality among (Bhutanese) filmmakers, that making an unconventional film won’t do well, should change,” said Tshering Gyeltshen. “How do we know about it without even trying it? Filmmakers should also be socially more responsible.”

Chenzig Media’s Dorji Wangchuk, though, claims to not being a fan of mainstream Bollywood, still draws inspiration from Indian directors like Madhu Bhandarkar of the acclaimed Chandni Bar and the legendary Satyajit Ray. It’s true, he said, that audiences often dictate the contents of the film but a filmmaker should not give into them so easily.

“We should be able to train the audience,” said Dorji Wangchuk. “We should draw the audience to you rather than you being drawn towards them. The decision is yours- whether you make films simply for money or you’d like to be remembered for a film you made 30 years ago.”

For the audience, it would be interesting to see what new craft Dorji Wangchuk has brought into his first feature film Nazhoen Charo.

This is, however, not to suggest that the Indian cinema has suddenly become the be all and end all of inspiration for Bhutanese filmmakers. There are still trash films being churned out in the Indian market like the mindless action and comedies with loads of sexual innuendoes thrown in for spice. But that, along with the bad and the ugly, there are, finally, a few good too.

Besides the rising population of the Indian middle class, there are other factors affecting Indian cinema. According to Sujoy Ghosh, the Jhankaar Beats director, the mushrooming of multiplexes in India has greatly helped expand the horizon of Indian films. “Today, certain financial bodies are also ready to take risks investing in low-budget different films,” Sujoy added.

These days, Sujoy pointed out, star power or a big banner is no longer sufficient to persuade the audience to sit through a bad film.

Sujoy Ghosh said: “As societal norms change, it’s the consumers who influence the content of films. Today, the circumstances and atmosphere have changed greatly (in India). And that’s how we learned about the craft, about its new approaches - as the society grew." Would the same apply to Bhutanese films?

Animation – serious, not just funny

Some of the most memorable and highest box-office grossers in the history of visual entertainment have been animated productions. Between the inaugural black and white Humorous Phases of Funny Faces by newspaper cartoonist J. Stuart Blackton in 1906 and the hi-tech, high-explosive world of Transformers today, animated films have grown from mere slapstick entertainment for children to a global multi-billion dollar industry.

It is said that more than three-fifths of the world’s population has seen one or more of the ten best animated movies ever. These include the Batman, The Incredibles, Song of the South, Transformers, The Lion King, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Cars, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Watership Down and Pom Poko.

Who can forget Walt Disney’s boisterous adaptation of Kipling’s The Jungle Book, or the epic-like travails of The Lion King, or the future-retro humanistic. The Incredibles? Or the many mega-budget production houses who churn millions out of such movies? Today, cartoons aren’t just funny, they’re serious business.

This may hold true for the animation business in Bhutan as well; on a much reduced scale, of course. After all, it was not until 2005 that the two existing animation companies were established.

They are KLK anImagine owned by Kinga Sithup, and Druk Vision Studio owned by Pem Tshering. Nerve-wracking as their initial months may have been, today, after more than two years of low-profile operation and experiential wisdom, both see testing challenges ahead.

One of the challenges they already face is the ignorance of people and lack of time because people do not realize that animationm is very time-consuming and needs intense concentration, which may affect the quality of the final product. Unlike conventional motion pictures, it takes more than a re-take to alter a single word.

Kinga, who started animation as a hobby with just one computer along with two friends renting a small room in the attic of one of his friend’s sister, said, “I picked up the taste for animation while watching cartoons and special effects; I was fascinated, or say, inspired by them.”

Pem Tshering is an architect by qualification but he opted to enter the profession of animation,a profession he described as one that “takes constant enthusiasm, determination and the will to never falter.”

The first animation KLK did was for the Health Ministry. It was a two-minute animation for a campaign on rubella in 2006 that took two weeks to complete. The longest one he did was a seven-minute HIV programme that aired on HIV day, 1 December, 2007. Druk Vision Studio did Bhutan’s longest animation for the National Environment Commission, a 10-minute piece on Ozone programme and, as Pem Tshering claims, it took six months to complete with help from friends.

Although Pem Tshering took out Bhutan’s first animated film in 2001, people barely remember it.

KLK’s animation programme on Rubella campaign was the first two-dimensional (2D) animation flick while the first to be produced with a 3D-effect was Pem Tshering’s well known Wai Penjore on AIDS, which took about three months to complete.

There are three types of animation: computer generated image (CGI), traditional animation and the 3D. While KLK usually sticks to 2D, in which pictures are laboriously sketched, Druk Vision uses 3D, where pictures are created in a computer.

Kinga hopes that if things improve in the future, he would love to produce an animated epic, be it of Ashi Nangsa or Drimed Kuenden, to entertain the young and the old.

Pem Tshering, on the other hand, wants to form a group of professionals involved in animation and then come out with a full feature film.

Animation is difficult work because a two-minute film typically takes three people with nine to 10- hour workdays about two weeks to complete. There are many procedures to be followed like script writing (if it is not provided by the client), story boarding or planning of movements and placement of characters and the background. Then comes sketching of characters and backgrounds, scanning, outlining, texturing (applying colours), arranging characters and background scenes and, finally, lip synchronizing and editing.

The development of movements is one of the most challenging tasks because of the standard frames of 25-30. What that means is that each second of animation, whether it involves the mere movement of a single hand or a simultaneous movement of a character’s entire body, requires the drawing of between 25-30 separate frames.

In Bhutan, though, it has become common practice to split 10 pictures into 25 frames or make do with 24 pictures per second.

But the most difficult part of animation lies in recording the voice for characters. This is because, firstly, Bhutan has no trained voice animators. Secondly, as only voice is used with minimal ‘acting’ or body language, it becomes difficult for directors to depict the exact feel, emotion, and mood of characters.

So far, Druk Vision Studio has produced some seven animation films and KLK has done almost 20. The messages they all carried were similar, awareness on different social, economical and political issues. Druk Vision’s most recent production, Ap Naka, which centred on earthquakes, was funded by the UNDP. KLK’s latest job was for the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) conveying the message that every vote counts.

The special effects in the movies are gaining popularity and the first was done for Sumchu Mami a feature film yet to be released. Namgey Retty is the first person who brought special effects into the limelight, his work being recognized in Chorten Kora.

The special effects in Chorten Kora took 26 days to complete because, in the absence of large studios where shooting can be done 24×7, the movie makers had to depend on natural sunlight.

Hollywood movies have moved Namgey but he was more inspired by The Lord of the Rings, in which, he believes, the effects are amazing. In Bhutan too, there are noticeable special effects in movies such as Sangwai Charo, Tago, The Golden Cup, Lengo (Part II), and Tharchen. All movies are said to use special effects in varying degrees.

So, how does animation differ from special effects? Animation involves putting life into artificially drawn characters and making them appear alive whereas, in special effects, works are basically done practically and there is always the tendency to make it look more real and blended with the concept of the story.

Animations include cartoon TV series and films such as Tom and Jerry, Popeye, and Johnny Bravo. Eleven-year-old Pema Yedzin Dorji, a regular viewer of the bi-lingual Cartoon Network channel, wishes to see such cartoon shows dubbed in Dzongkha.

Both the Kinga and Pem Tshering love to watch animated movies. Kinga Sithup’s favourite is Spirit (about a horse), and Pem Tshering’s favourite is Shrek – Part I.

The best part of being in the animation field, as Pem Tshering explained, is that it is an interesting and effective media through which one can express ideas limitlessly.

“We decide everything starting from the gender of a character to the number of trees in the background and the colours used,” he said. “It is very challenging when you consider that you must convey your message with limited dialogue and action.”

Kinga maintains that although the principles used in conventional film and animation were nearly the same, there was a distinct advantage to working without actors – changes in the script hurt no one.

Both Kinga and Pem estimate that at least a decade will pass before Bhutan produces a full-length animated feature film. Perhaps they underestimate the confidence of their juniors and the pace of technological development especially in the field of entertainment.

“Some years ago, one of the ex-lyonpos told us that he would give importance to animation but, it turns out, that was just meaningless banter,” the owner of one of the companies told Observer. “And the unemployment problem gets worse by the day; so I have decided to create employment for 20-50 people within the next five years although at present I have only five employees,” he added.

The world’s earliest sample of animation was found in Iran’s Burnt city where an animated illustration was found in a 5000-year-old earthen goblet. The artist had portrayed a goat that jumped towards a tree and then ate its leaves.

Today, the bulk of animation drawing is usually produced using computers, thus giving the artist new tools not available in traditional hand-drawn animation.

Animated cartoons created using the software programme, Adobe Flash, are sometimes called webtoons. However, there are many types of animation that cannot be called cartoons.

A Bhutanese film director, Kinley Tshering, who has been in the film industry for eight years, believes that Bhutanese people generally know little about visual effects and so think every little trick is neat but, in reality, the industry here is immature – not to say that he does not appreciate the efforts of Bhutanese animators. In fact, he believes that animation, as a film form in Bhutan, is a novelty that attracts attention and so is an effective medium for conveying useful information.

The ECB, which commends animated films as being “programmed better and able to convey messages better,” has made use of animation to educate people on using voting machines and to reinforce the message that every vote counts.

The ECB has more plans for animators to exploit in the future; and, already, the two animation companies have noticed competition in the form of freelancing individuals sprouting up here and there. An IT graduate of 2005 told Observer, “I can do finer animation on my desktop than the existing professional firms but, as I am already employed, I have postponed plans to make my mark in this field.”
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Looks like the animation business is set for bigger things.

The Comedians of Bhutanese Cinema

Knowing Phurpa Thinley better

If humor could be found in an inexhaustible package, it should be him. He is funny and witty. The moment he opens his mouth, everybody breaks into a laughter.

Born in Talo in Punakha, Phurpa Thinley, 42, is the most popular comedian in the country. He has been in the film industry for almost two decades.

He was a monk till the age of 22 before joining the Royal Academy of Performing Arts (RAPA). His acting career took off when he was in RAPA where he stayed for 10 years.

His typical Bhutanese jokes were appreciated by many people in RAPA and he was made the atsara there.

While still in RAPA, he along with Gyem Tshering, another Bhutanese comedian who was also in RAPA, started a company called Comedy Musical Live Show. The company produces music albums and films.

Phurpa Thinley has a huge fan following. When he is in town, people stop to have a look at him. “There are times when people ask me to crack jokes on the street, and if I am not in a hurry, I do that,” he said. He also gets calls from his fans asking him to tell a joke over the phone.

The comedian is also a singer. He has sung in 16 albums. Some of his songs that are meant to be humorous contain refreshingly funny lyrics. One of them is his version of a popular boedra, ‘Lungpa chhung chhung’. He has produced several joke albums, which have been hugely successful among people of all walks of life. Phurpa believes that he is a better co remedian than a singer.

Until now, he has acted in 35 films. He has recently signed for a film in which Kelly Dorji will be acting.

He claims that most of the jokes in his films are made by himself. “The director just explains the theme of the story, and I add the dialogue,” he said. Phurpa Thinley also helps new comers with their dialogue and dzongkha language.

He got two awards for best comedy. He says that jokes should be funny as well as meaningful.

According to him, acting over the years has become competitive and the quality of movies has improved but he does not see much competition for the role of a comedian.

When talent meets opportunity

He can sing in six different Bhutanese singers’ voices, both male and female. He can speak in almost all the local dialects of Bhutan. He can make sounds of a flute without using one.

Commonly known as Jalap Lakey he is an entertainer, actor and a singer.

He was six when he could imitate the sounds of chirping birds, ape barking dogs and meow like cats. He was very interested in singing that he would record his own voice in a tape recorder and listen to it over and over again. Today the 27-year-old is not only a stand up comedian and mimics voices of people but also a singer.

He made his first public singing debut in 2004. He took part in a singing competition held at Mila and won the first prize out of around 80 contestants. He sang a song in both male and female voice.

His rendezvous with the camera happened in 2005 when he shot for an MTV and instantly fell in love with it. His romance with the lenses blossomed three years later when he got his first acting break in 2008. Within a span of less than a year he has five films under his belt.

In most films, his roles are entertaining. It is filled with laughter and mirth but he has acted in a more serious role in a recent film. He likes being a comedian and making people laugh but at the same time wanted to act in more serious roles to give people variety.

In most of his movies he acts as lhotshampa gup, Sharchop gup, Parop gup and old men. He talks in a different accent dzongkha, one must see his truly remarkable performance.

In his earlier days he served in the armed force for four years and resigned in 2004 under medical grounds. He is satisfied that he was able to do something for the country when the country was in need. Before joining the armed force he was a monk for five years. He did his primary schooling in Wangdue.

Originally from Wangdue, Lakey was always interested in entertaining people and even when he was in the army he would always take active part in the programmes. He always dreamt of becoming a performer and an entertainer.

His father has a sweet voice and of his 10 siblings two others also have melodious voice. One participated in the Bhutanese star while the other is too shy to sing on stage.

He has released two music albums but has never tried playback singing though he is thinking of doing it.

He has his own set of fans calling him up and appreciating his singing and acting. One of his fans is his mother who calls him up and asks him to sing on the phone.

Off the sets he is a completely different man. No jokes and pranks like on stage or on screen. Although Lakey has talent to ape noise of animals and birds he has never got a role where he could use these talents. He just hopes that it would get some day.

The Cup (Phörpa)

The World Cup and Tibetan Monks are not the two topics most likely to pack Americans into cinemas. A combination of the two may actually frighten away some viewers. But first-time director Khyentse Norbu's film about these two topics, The Cup, deserves an audience, perhaps particularly an U.S. audience, in part because it imagines and indeed, promotes, a sense of global community (no snickering please). The film also reveals — at least it feels like a revelation — that the monks are very similar to people who regularly go to movies.

Reportedly, this is the first film from the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and the first film in the Tibetan language, and anyone who sees it will likely look forward to the next film from Bhutan or in the Tibetan language fortunate enough to get world wide distribution. The story, which is based on fact, begins in 1998 as two boys, Palden (Kunzang Nyima) and his nephew Nyima (Pema Tshundup), arrive at a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in India. The older boy shares a room with the mildly rebellious Orgyen (Jamyang Lodro, playing himself). Orgyen is obsessed with football (called "soccer" in the U.S.) and is in the habit of sneaking out at night to watch the World Cup matches at a tavern. One night, he, Palden, and two others are caught coming home from the tavern by Geko (Orgyen Tobgyal), who actively oversees the monastery under the Abbot. The Abbot (Lama Chonjor) decides not to punish them, however, after being reassured that there is no sex in this event in which "two civilized nations fight over a ball."

After giving the matter some thought, Orgyen figures that Geko objects to their sneaking out at night, so he convinces Geko to let them rent a tv to watch the final match. And so it happens that everyone at the monastery is watching as France, a nation Orgyen says has always supported Tibet, wins the World Cup.

The plot is simple enough, and the film is beautifully photographed. Other than the usual barriers that international films face in the U.S., why is this film likely to be a tough sell for Fine Line? Football is one reason. Though the World Cup is truly a world-wide phenomenon, and The Cup shows that even Tibetan monks are transfixed by it, the fact is that people in the States remain largely uninterested in the sport. The Women's World Cup last year was exciting, particularly because the U.S. team won, but the U.S. men's team has fallen well short of such achievement. So, despite enthusiastic teams and intense media pressure (especially when networks have invested in televising matches), the sport remains something U.S. children play through junior high school and then abandon like yesterday's Ricky Martin cd.

Another reason the film might not find the audience it should is that U.S. viewers don't exactly clamor for movies about Tibet. Many artists — Richard Gere, for one notable example — have donated time and money to raising public awareness of Tibet's occupation by Chinese forces, the Dalai Lama's exile, and the exile of many monks, in India and elsewhere, all hoping that the Dali Lama's passive resistance will eventually effect change. And for many young people, "Tibet" means two words: Beastie Boys. This band in particular has worked for the cause over the last few years, by organizing massive benefit concerts (aptly named "Free Tibet"). Still, the U.S. government seems to regard all these protests and discussions as if they are yesterday's Ricky Martin CD.

Though Norbu's film focuses on the monks' community as it contrasts and compares with the World Cup as global "event," it also includes a few moments of critique. For one thing, the monks' privation is a direct result of the actions of the Chinese. They remark on the "rotten" Chinese rice they eat, and the Abbot keeps his things packed, hoping for the opportunity to return to Tibet. And then the film closes with a series of titles which give updates on the characters, including one which reveals that Orygen dreams of a Tibetan World Cup Team. The final title, however, says that the "Chinese are still serving rice in Tibet," reminding the audience that, for all the uplift in the film, problems remain in the real world.

Such critique, however, never overshadows the film's celebration of the monks' spiritual freedom and joys in life. Because he is a Tibetan Buddhist monk himself, Norbu doesn't observe them from a distance. Viewers come away with a sense of the daily life of young monks, as we see the boys at prayers and studying in their rooms at night. The young monks pass notes back and forth during prayers like boys at summer camp and play "kick the can" while brushing their teeth. Viewers can take pleasure in seeing the inside of a monastery and in the beautiful Indian countryside, but Norbu does not permit us to coast along like tourists. The tone of the film is too warm and the events are presented too matter-of-factly for most viewers to remain uninvolved with the characters.

This sense of identification also enacts and underscores the film's "message," that everyone needs a sense of community, that everyone should take care of others. At first, Orgyen thinks only of himself as he rounds up money to rent the television and satellite dish. He even has Palden convince Nyima to give up a watch from his mother to aid the effort. Later, as the game progresses, Orgyen looks from the television screen to Nyima's increasingly unhappy face and realizes his error. Later, as Orgyen gathers up his possessions, including a gift from his own mother, Geko enters, knows what is occurring, and says that he and the Abbot will pay the amount necessary to return the watch to Nyima. He also says he's pleased that Orgyen is thinking of others rather than only about himself. The film does not dwell on Orgyen's education but makes its importance quite clear, as Geko says his student will be a good monk and the film cuts between the two warmly smiling faces.

His transformation is performed effectively by the young and engaging Jamyang Lodro. Like the rest of the cast, he is not an actor, but a student who lives in the Chokling Monastery. The nonprofessional actors lend authenticity to the scenes in the monastery and only occasionally does the viewer sense that anyone is trying to "act." The Cup's very structure seems to follow their lead: when the boys begin collecting money to rent the television, their energy is mirrored in the film's increased pace. While the film doesn't provide "leads" in the usual Hollywood sense, the ensemble delivers subtle performances, the uncluttered framings are artful, and the humor is endearing, more likely to solicit slight smiles than laughter.

The Cup uses the World Cup as a symbol for the potential unity of people from different countries or backgrounds. The event is one thing that the majority of the world can agree to watch together, even though the event itself is competitive. The film made me ponder all of this and more. I left the theater thinking that U.S. lack of interest in the sport suggests that the nation remains too insular, too aloof, too self-absorbed. This film might focus viewers' attention — however briefly — on the need for a greater sense of global community.

The film's closing voice-over from the Abbot says that we all need to think of others, to "love others as I love myself." This clearly expresses the film's primary theme, as it applies not only to Tibetan monks or those who similarly pursue an ascetic life. After watching these boys obsess about football and play kick the can, we might envision them listening to the Beastie Boys too, independent of the fact that the band works to bring attention to them; they are novice monks, but they are still boys. The thought of Tibetan monks trying to count the samples on Hello Nasty! is great fun to imagine, and comforting to this viewer.

The making of Sem Gawai Tasha

The director shouts, “Lights, camera, action,” and the actors start smiling and dancing. On screen, it might look like a normal scene but it’s actually a cold winter’s night with sub zero temperatures and the actors are dressed in gho and kira even as, around them, spectators shiver in woolen jackets and boots.

This is just one of the scenes at the making of Sem Gawai Tasha, a new film from NT sound and vision, which is a high budget film with heavy casting. The film is the Bhutanese debut of Kalden Sonam Dorji better known as Kelly Dorji, who is well known in the Indian glamour industry. Miss Bhutan Tshokye Tshomo Karchung also makes her debut. Popular actors Karma Chechong and Shelkar Choden are also in the film.

Even before its release, the making of Sem Gawai Tasha appears to have caught the attention of Bhutanese film lovers.

Freezing weather has not detered fans who flocked to shooting locales, eager to catch a sight of the lead actors.

“I came to watch the shooting with my friends because Kelly Dorji is acting,” says 21-year-old Dechen, watching from the sidelines.

Kelly Dorji has been a model, choreographer as well as an actor and gained considerable recognition in the South Indian film industry after his role in Don No 1. But he has never been involved in the Bhutanese movie industry. Dressing in a gho and acting with Bhutanese co-actors is a first for him, says Kelly, who is also choreographing the action sequences in the film.

When asked why he decided to act in a Bhutanese film, he replied, “I was looking for an opportunity to contribute to the Bhutanese film industry. It feels superb to be speaking Dzongkha and acting opposite Bhutanese,”

Asked if he has plans to continue acting in Bhutanese films, he said, “I certainly hope so. I pray that I get more opportunities to work in Dzongkha films. I am certainly open to discussing more projects.”

This might be Tshokye Tshomo’s first film appearance but she is at ease, having faced the camera during a modelling stint. “The director, environment and people are good. It’s more like a family. I don’t feel like I am working at all because off-set everyone’s relaxing and on-set everyone’s working so hard. It’s a big learning experience. Since it’s my first movie I will always remember the movie and the people I work with,” she said. She plans to stay in the movie industry if she gets more offers.

Fans of Shelkar Choden will be pleased to hear that she plans to continue her career as an actor for another five or six years. This being her second movie, she is at ease with the camera and the audience. She dances gracefully, ignoring the cold. “This is my first time shooting in winter and I find it tough, especially working late nights in the cold. But everyone’s easygoing and friendly and it’s an honour to work with Kelly and Tshokye” she said.

The presence of popular comedians, Phub Thinley and Gyem Dorji, assures audiences of laughs. It is not surprising that they are as funny in real life too. At the sets as in their films, they provide comic relief. They are often seen talking as crew members around them double up in laughter. The cast and crew eat their lunch together, crammed in a small room. But no one seems to be complaining. You see people smiling, laughing and talking in between eating. A cast member is holding his script and going through it with the scriptwriter.

The crew recounts an incident while shooting in Shengana, where Phub Thinley was actually followed by a group of small kids who were his fans. They would trail him around, thrilled to see him in person.

The crew comprises 29 people. They are an important part of the whole film making process. looking at the cast and crew joking and laughing while working, it’s no wonder most of them say it does not feel like they are working. But work, they do. Take after take, when the cameras are rolling, their dedication is apparent. They make the compicated process of film shooting look easier than it really is.

Two camera units and two directors of photography were employed in making the movie. The producer, Namgay Tshering, said new filmmaking techniques were used in this movie.

Tshering Penjore (Paco), who is also a documentary filmmaker, wrote the script for this movie. According to him, the movie reflects family issues, youth concerns and human trafficking while offering bits of romance and comedy.

The film was shot in Paro, Shengana and Thimphu. With an impressive cast lined up and a talented team, the movie promises a lot.

Travellers & Magicians

Travellers and Magicians is a 2003 Bhutanese Dzongkha language film written and directed by Khyentse Norbu, a reincarnate lama of Tibetan Buddhism, who is also known as Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche. The movie is the first feature film shot entirely in the kingdom of Bhutan. The majority of the casts are not professional actors; Dendup, a well-known Bhutanese radio actor and producer, is the exception. This movie is among the first to take a Himalayan Buddhist perspective.




Tagline: The bitter and the sweet of temporary things.

A young government official named Dondup (played by Tshewang Dendup) who is smitten with America (he even has a denim gho) dreams of escaping there while stuck in a beautiful but isolated village. He hopes to connect in the U.S. with a visa out of the country. He misses the one bus out of town to Thimphu, however, and is forced to hitchhike and walk along the Lateral Road to the west, accompanied by an apple seller, a Buddhist monk with his ornate, dragon-headed dramyin heading to Thimphu, a drunk, a widowed rice paper maker and his daughter Sonam (played by Sonam Lhamo).

To pass the time, the monk tells the tale of Tashi, a restless farmboy who, like Dondup, dreams of escaping village life. Tashi rides a horse that goes into a forest. He immediately becomes lost in remote mountains and finds his life entwined with that of an elderly hermit woodcutter and his beautiful young wife. Tashi's wish of escape granted, he finds himself caught in a web of lust and jealousy, enchanted by the beautiful and yielding wife, but fearing the woodsman and his axe. Tashi finally tries to murder the woodcutter, aided by his wife who is pregnant by Tashi. He runs away, however, while the old man is near death, burdened by his guilt. Deki, the woodcutter's wife calls and runs after him, but probably falls into a mountain river while giving pursuit.

Tashi's adventures finally turn out to be hallucinations induced by chhaang, home-brewed liquor. The monk's tale merely parallels Dondup's growing attraction to Sonam. During a dilemma similar to Tashi's, Dondup manages to hitch a ride to Thimphu. The film ends without showing the final outcome of Dondup's journey - his visa interview and his trip abroad. The audience is left to wonder whether the trip changed his attitude toward the village and Bhutan, and if he returned to the village.

According to the director, the story of Dendup was inspired by Izu No Odoriko (The Dancing Girl of Izu), a story by Yasunari Kawabata about a group of travellers and an infatuation between a dancing girl and a schoolboy. The story of Tashi was inspired by a Buddhist fable about two brothers, one of whom aspires to become a magician.

In making this film, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, an internationally-renowned Buddhist lama, sets the standard for the nascent Bhutanese film industry. The film depicts traditional Bhutanese folklore, and storytelling techniques. Travellers and Magicians is a profoundly Bhutanese film, with a theme and vocabulary that reflects the culture of Bhutan.

The storytelling technique employed in the film is the one of a story within a story, as the monk narrates the story of Tashi within the film. The nesting of worlds go three levels deep, as Tashi hallucinates/dreams after consuming chhang. Traditional, as well as fusion music is used in the movie, with Western rock and Western-influenced music being heard via Dondup's music system, and traditional music from the dramyin of the monk and as ambient music. The noted chant music advocate David Hykes also contributed music to the film at the invitation of the director. A soundtrack of the movie has been commercially released.

Since only a quarter of the people of Bhutan have a mother tongue of Dzongkha, one of the cast members - Sonam Kinga, acted as dialog coach to the cast.

A kingdom emerges from isolation, along with its filmmakers

How does a royal bodyguard become a scriptwriter? Ask Tshering Penjore.

Until last year Penjore, 34, was aide de camp to Bhutan's crown prince, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, who has since become the country's fifth king. But when in April 2006 a friend suggested that the film-loving Penjore write a script, he couldn't resist. There was only one problem. Penjore had never seen a script.

With no film schools in Bhutan, he turned to the Internet. He downloaded the script of "Ocean's 11," the throwback caper film starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, pored over the pirouettes of the plot and wrote his own. Though that film is still awaiting release, Penjore has been flooded with offers. In the months since, he has become a full-time writer, written seven screenplays and even co-produced one.

Penjore's story is typical of the growing film industry in Bhutan, which until very recently had closed itself off, by choice, from the rest of the world. Last year a record 24 films were produced in the tiny Himalayan kingdom, population 700,000; in 2003 the total was only six. (India, by comparison, made more than 1,000 movies last year.) The only theater in Bhutan's capital city, Thimpu, is booked for the next nine months.

Budget constraints force filmmakers to use digital technology instead of film stock, and most of the players are self-taught. But directors are churning out movies at the dizzying pace of four a year. Sixty production companies are now registered with the Motion Picture Association of Bhutan.

Landlocked between the world's two most populous countries — India and China — Bhutan has aggressively preserved its cultural identity by insulating itself. Three decades ago the fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, coined the phrase Gross National Happiness, which sought to measure prosperity through well being rather than consumption. The country has since followed policies of sustainable development, limited industrialization and environmental protection. Often referred to as the hermit kingdom of the Himalayas, Bhutan has one national highway, one airport, one airline and three newspapers, all of which publish once a week.

But in the last decade technology has subverted Bhutan's closed-door policies. Television arrived in 1999 and the Internet soon after. Suddenly Bhutan, a highly codified Buddhist society, found itself grappling with MTV and World Wrestling Entertainment. And next year the country will undergo a political metamorphosis when it shifts from an absolute monarchy to a parliamentary democracy. As the reclusive kingdom changes, the fledgling film industry will play an important role.

"Cinema already has a strong influence on the culture and behavior of the general public," said Kinley Dorji, editor in chief of The Kuensel, the government-owned newspaper. "It is creating new heroes and new values."

But making and screening movies in Bhutan is a difficult business.

The country has only six theaters, all of which need make-overs. Kalden Sonam Dorji, the only Bhutanese actor working in Indian cinema, described the country's main theater, the Luger, as "flea-infested and rat-ridden, with chewed-up seats covered in paan-spit." Filmmakers must wait at least six months to get their allotted time at a theater or screen their films in rented school auditoriums. To reach rural audiences, filmmakers use mobile movie vans fitted with digital projectors, DVD players, generators and posters. Major religious festivals have become important exhibition sites too.

In this industry everyone has a hyphenated label. The budgets — most films cost 1.5 million to 3 million ngultrum (about $37,500 to $75,000) — don't allow for solo job designations. So producers are also exhibitors, writers design posters, and actors double up as production assistants. Only a handful of Bhutanese technicians are formally trained, and until recently the actors were all amateurs.

"There were no full-time actors in Bhutan because acting was not considered a job," said Rinchen Namgay, an actor-singer with 10 films on his résumé. "All actors were civil servants or employed by private companies. Now we have full-time actors, but no one has actually learned acting. Everything we do is on an experimental basis."

Penjore, the bodyguard turned moviemaker, often finds his actors by frequenting clubs and bars and approaching whomever seems suitable. Though some actors are well known, none are stars in a country without a celebrity culture. In January the romantic comedy "Sergyel" pulled in crowds in school auditoriums, turning a newcomer named Sonam Tenzing (who played both a village boy and a hipster college student) into a sensation. Women started to ask for his cellphone number, which, Penjore said, "made Sonam's girlfriend very angry." Tenzing wasn't seduced by fame; he has since quit show business and joined the civil service.

Nonetheless Kalden, who has worked in several splashy Indian films, hopes to introduce the trappings of stardom to his country. "I'm planning a blitz," said Kalden, who is making his first Bhutanese film this December. "Out of the 20-odd films made in Bhutan, I'll star in four or five. I will take the Bollywood formula and apply it there."

Most Bhutanese directors have already done that, adopting the fantastical, song-and-dance-infused narrative style of popular Hindi film. "At the moment we are restricted by market forces," said Tshering Wangyel, who spent seven years with the Agriculture Ministry and is now among Bhutan's leading directors. "The masses want fantasy, not reality." Wangyel, whose recent movies include "The Golden Cup," shot in a remote village using untrained actors, is now making Bhutan's first horror film, "Bakchha" ("A Ghost's Attachment"), but he is hedging his bets by inserting seven songs.

Reality is a tough sell. In 2003 Bhutan's best-known filmmaker, Khyentse Norbu, made the country's first celluloid film, "Travelers and Magicians." Khyentse, better known as His Eminence Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, is one of the most revered lamas in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The film, about a literal, spiritual and metaphorical journey, received rave reviews in the Western press and was screened at the Venice and Toronto film festivals. But the Rinpoche (perhaps the world's only director-saint) had a harder time finding local viewers. The Rinpoche is now working on a script that involves a gun, a monk and the mock elections in Bhutan.

There are concerns that Bhutanese films, which unapologetically derive from Bollywood, Hollywood and Korean cinema, might dilute the painstakingly conserved culture. But filmmakers argue the opposite. By creating local movies they have driven out foreign films, because theaters can no longer accommodate them. The Luger Theater hasn't screened a foreign film since February 2005. This, Wangyel said, makes him very proud: "We are helping our country and preserving our identity and culture."

The FARAWAY GIRL: When love happens...

Love knows no boundary. This is the theme of the next Bhutanese flick, The Far Away Girl, which will be screened at the Mig Cinema hall in Phuentsholing from January 20.

Directed by Sonam Yeshey, the film is about two people from two different countries, different cultural background, and different ways of living falling in love.

Rigsel is a villager in Bhutan. Priya from Kolkata in India comes to his village as a teacher. The two fall in love, and live the best time of their lives together until Priya returns to her country.

The story takes a turn when Rigsel, accompanied by his friend, leave for Kolkata in search of Priya. The duo is able to find Priya but get entangled in a mysterious murder case. However, in the end, all mysteries are solved and the lovers are united.

The film is a complete entertainment. Filled with songs and fight sequence, the film has some action stunts that have never been seen in Bhutanese films. In the last action scene, some 10 people come to hold the protagonist but he runs and jumps over them kicking the main villain. A stunt master and a few stunts men were hired from West Bengal, especially for the action scenes.

The music in the film is fresh. Modern Bhutanese tunes are mixed with familiar Indian tunes to give catchy tunes. There are six songs, including one Hindi and Dzongkha mixed song and one boedra song.

A ccording to the script writer, Lobzang Dorji, through Rigsel’s life, the film portrays a typical village life in Bhutan. The film highlights some culture and tradition of the country. Priya is invited to join a Thrue celebration where there is an archery match amid traditional songs and dances.

The film shows subtle differences between India and Bhutan. It is also a tribute to Bhutan-India friendship, he said, adding that, through the film, they want to take entertainment to a new height.

More than half of the two hour-film has been shot in Kolkata and some part in Punakha and Phuentsholing. The film was shot in 60 days.

D ebut actor and producer, Sonam Rinchen Tshering, plays the role of Rigsel and Choki Wangmo Tenzin, plays Priya. They are supported by Jalab Laki and Tshering Yuden. While most of the people on the set were first timers, some 15 Indian actors from West Bengal were also hired. The film was well received by the review board because the whole team was new.

A love story with drama, suspense, action, fun and adventure, The Far Away Girl is refreshing and not to be missed.

By Tandin Pem (Bhutan Observer)

His Majesty awards Gold Medal to MPAB

Convenience for clients, safety of vital communication, efficient service is taking the services near its rivals

In order to recognise the contribution of Bhutan’s nebulous and unsupported film industry, His Majesty the King awarded the Motion Picture Association of Bhutan (MPAB) with a gold medal on the occasion of the National Day on December 17.

The medal has been given in recognition of the association’s contribution to the nation in preservation and promotion of the rich culture and language through films and music, thus contributing to Gross National Happiness (GNH) philosophy of the country.

Yesterday, at the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry conference hall, the president of MPAB, Dasho Ugyen Tshechup Dorji and the other members of the association held a press conference to showcase the efforts put in by association members, as well as share their gratitude towards His Majesty for appreciating their effort.

However, the MPAB also shared the difficulties and handicaps faced by the film industry in Bhutan.

“During the National day, MPAB was awarded a gold medal and this is a great honour. It has also been a great boost to each and every person involved in making films and music. I feel that MPAB has come a long way, despite the existing difficulties, and I am proud to say that MPAB has been able to contribute something to GNH and to the country as a whole,” said Dasho Ugyen Tshechup Dorji.

MPAB also disclosed their proposals to the government, like request for allotment of land in urban areas to build theatres, a film and music development fund in order to segregate avant garde movies – which have a poor market restricted to the culturally conscious – from commercial ones; development of a film city, and most importantly, to provide the film producers loan from banks in the country.

Dasho Ugyen told the media that the producers are not eligible for loans from the banks due to lack of ‘industry’ status and absence of infrastructure.

Incidentally, in May, the Prime Minister had promised to look into the issue of granting ‘industry’ status to movie making but nothing has happened so far.

The MPAB was established on 9 September, 1999, with the aim to preserve the culture and tradition of the country, create employment for youth, link up with other associations of the world and stay abreast of affairs that could be used to market Bhutanese films.

One of its original goals was also to assist the protection of individual copyright and protect local audiovisual products from any form of piracy.

The industry had kicked off with the making of “Gasa Lamai Singye”, a period romance in 1987, and the first commercial film “Jigdrel” was produced by Norling Drayang in 1998.

The success of Jigdrel led to the emergence of the Bhutanese film industry and the formation of MPAB. As of December 2009, more than 150 feature films have been made, with an average of 18 films produced each year.

The films in Bhutan are made in digital format rather than on celluloid, with producers working on shoestring budgets and lacking in a team of trained professionals.

By Kesang Wangmo (Bhutan Today)

The year in Bhutanese cinema

From releasing Sungchop Magmi, which took six years in the making, to Return of Ata Khawjay to receiving a gold medal from His Majesty, 2009 was an exciting year for the burgeoning Bhutanese movie industry.

In total, 18 films were produced, out of which only five made it to the theatres in Thimphu. Karma Entertainment’s Sem da Sem and Dechen Pem’s Sem ge Damtshe were among the commercially successful films of the year.

Sem da Sem also became the Bhutanese film to be screened at the Palace and was reportedly watched and appreciated by His Majesty.

Sem ge Jurwa was well received by the review board as it carried a lot of social messages.

Far away girl, produced by a new team, was also well received. O ther films like Chorten Kora, which is based on nomadic lifestyle, City of Dreams, which dwells on the urban lifestyle, 4 Friends, a film by a woman director, Karma Deki, were also released last year.

The last film to be released was Sergi Zhongm, which centres on livestock and rural-urban migration. While all the films were produced within the range of Nu 1.5 to Nu 2 million on average, the producer of Return of Ata Khawjay claims to have spent more than Nu 2 million.

Actor Chencho Dorji dominated as the male protagonist in most of the films. The 27-year-old actor, who acted in five films last year, says he gave his best in every film. I n 2008, a number of female actors had been introduced but in 2009, senior female actors stole the limelight.

Tshering Wangyel directed four films, the maximum number in the year. The year also saw the making of a big budget film by NT Sound and Vision starring the Bhutanese Bollywood actor, Kelley Dorji.

Achievements

According to Motion Picture Association of Bhutan (MPAB), the Bhutanese cinema’s greatest achievement in the past year was dominating the local market not only in Thimphu, but also in the southern region. Earlier, Bollywood films had dominated local theaters in the south.

The gold medal awarded to the association by His Majesty was another achievement. “Getting recognition from the highest level was indeed an achievement,” said Sherub Gyeltshen, the general secretary of MPAB.

Difficulties

The shortage of theaters continues to ail the industry. To ease the crunch, MPAB started a system whereby a film cannot be screened for the year in Bhutanese cinema more than 22 days.

However, with the upcoming theaters in Chubachu and twin theater in Olakha in Thimphu, the problem is expected to be addressed.

The film industry is also lacking training. Even after 10 years of establishment, it hardly gets human resource development training from the government.

However, the concern is expected to be addressed because the cabinet assured the industry that the government would support it in various ways.Meanwhile, the MPAB is yet to gain industry status.

But it is positive about the industry’s future. “We expect a better paved way now on,” said Sherub Gyeltshen.

By Tandin Pem (Bhutan Observer)

'The Young Victoria' wins Academy Award

Sandy Powell was summoned to the podium twice Thursday night at the 12th annual Costume Designers Guild Awards at the Beverly Hilton.

Powell was awarded the prize for excellence in period film for her work in Apparition's "The Young Victoria," in which she dressed Emily Blunt as the young queen just assuming her throne.

Sandy Powell picked up her third Academy Award for The Young Victoria, Jean-Marc Vallée’s lavish adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s novel, starring Emily Blunt. It is Powell's fourth award for the film, including the Costume Design gong at last month's Baftas.

Powell, who won her first two Academy Awards for Shakespeare in Love (1998) and The Aviator (2004), joked as she collected her Oscar: "I've already got two of these at home so I'm feeling greedy."

She dedicated the gong to designers on low budget and contemporary films, saying: "This one's for you but I'm going to take it home tonight, thank you."

Powell studied Theatre Design at London’s Central School of Art, but left midway through the course to design in fringe theatre, before moving into film. Her break in cinema came in Derek Jarman’s 1986 film Caravaggio, and she went on to work on such films such as the Oscar-winning The Crying Game, Michael Collins, Gangs of New York, The Other Boleyn Girl and The Departed.

In an interview in 2008, Powell told The Times that exploring different time periods was her favourite part of the job. “Since the internet, it is now possible to cover a wide area without leaving your desk," she added. "However, it’s always better to look at the real thing. For Young Victoria, I was lucky enough to see and touch some of Queen Victoria’s clothes, including her wedding dress.”

Powell, who has forged a continuing collaboration with the director Martin Scorcese, is also the designer behind his latest thriller, Shutter Island, currently on release, and is soon to begin work on his next project, a biopic of Frank Sinatra.

(Source: The Hollywood Reporter/ TimesOnline)

Jurmey: Casts

LODAY CHOPHEL (Jurmey)

21st Century Ox Entertainment
P.O Box 849
Thimphu, Bhutan


SONAM TENZIN (Jamyang)

Sharchokpa Tshongkhang
P.O Box 738
Thimphu, Bhutan


SONAM YANGKI (Deki)

Yangki Automobiles
P.O Box 384
Thimphu, Bhutan


THINLEY CHOEDEN (Yangchen)

XI Science
Yangchenphug High School
Thimphu, Bhutan


GOMCHEN PENJOR (Grandpa)

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Thimphu, Bhutan


LUNGTEN WANGDE (Village Head)

Below U.N.D.P Office
Thimphu
Bhutan


KARMA SAMDRUP (Lungten)

C.O Karma Tshering
Lungtenphug RBA
Thimphu, Bhutan


MEMI SANJAY (Hermit)

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City of Dreamz: A film by Chungdra Gyeltshen

‘The grass is always greener on the other side’ is the theme of the latest film showing at the Trowa Theatre in Thimphu.

Kezang Tobgay, a new comer, plays the male protagonist as Tobgay and Choki Wangmo plays the female lead as Yeshey, a village girl. Tandin Penjore plays Penjor, a cousin of Tobgay from Thimphu.

C ity of Dreamz is about a young boy coming to Thimphu from a remote place chasing a dream to become an actor.

On his arrival in Thimphu, the city of fierce competition and rat race, he experiences the harsh realities of life that stand in stark contrast to a village life.

His dream of making it to the celluloid world of glitz and glamour becomes a mirage when he comes across deceitful friends and phoney love.

Ultimately, he returns to his village as an unsuccessful actor.

But he comes out of the ordeal and obstacles to his dream afresh. He is born again as a successful human being.

The film, in a way, shows that people from remote places look at Thimphu as an urban paradise oblivious to its hardships and challenges.

D irected and written by Chungdra Gyeltshen, a new comer, the film also has some social messages. After watching the film, people will be more aware of the helpline numbers of the police and hospital.

The two hours and 10 minutes long film has seven songs, some of which are catchy. “The film is based on realities and every viewer can connect to it,” said Chungdra Gyeltshen.

S hot in 40 days in Thimphu and Trongsa, City of Dreamz hit the screen on August 24. A t the end of the film, the viewer is still kept in the dark about Tobgay’s village and its name. It is only known that he is a village boy.

A ll in all, the film has a lot to offer to the viewers. It is refreshing and entertaining, worth watching. The film is a debut production of Karma Ugyen Tshulthrim.

Viewers commented that the film was impressive with most of them saying the lead actor had done a good job. The film is presently being screened at Trowa Threatre in Changjiji housing colony at 7 pm.

By Tandin Pem

Movie Synopsis

Jurmey is a restless teenager staying with his brother, Namgay, in Thimphu.

Being in the same class, same desk, for three years in a row, he is quite a bully at school. Once, the principal of the school finds him standing outside the classroom due to his misbehavior at class. As a result and way to correct him, the principal places him in the care of Jamyang, an exemplary student excellent in both studies and character. This is where the trouble begins.

Yangchen, a school beauty, finds Jamyang beaten to a pulp and decides to help him, more out of pity. They become friends much to the dislike of Jurmey who also happens to like her. The enraged Jurmey corners Jamyang in a classroom and beats him. The principal catches them red-handed and Jurmey is expelled.

Namgay is disheartened and tries advising Jurmey to be more responsible. Angry, Jurmey walks away from home and finds Jamyang and Yangchen walking into the woods, making their way to a secret hut where Jamyang invents homemade instruments like gun and crossbow. Here, Jamyang displays his invention to Yangchen. They prepare the gun to fire when Jurmey barges into the hut and threatens Jamyang. Yangchen is disappointed with Jamyang and calls him a coward. To prove his bravery, Jamyang fires the gun. Jurmey dodges and Namgay, who came after Jurmey, is hit and dies.

Scared, Jamyang runs away deep into the forest. On the way, he meets a hermit who helped him a bit. Tired and disillusioned, Jamyang reaches a monastery after loitering in the forest for more than two weeks.

Meanwhile, Jurmey decides to go to his village and stay with his grandfather. He tries to live a life of a farmer, his grandfather bullying him with sharp words and hard assignments. Drunk, he courts a village girl, Deki, and to his dislike, he is forced to marry her.

Jamyang stays in the monastery for a long time and decides to become a monk.

With the death of grandpa Wangdi comes self-annihilation of Jurmey. He learns that he inherited his parent's land in the village.

One day, Jamyang, now a monk, comes begging for alms in the village. As Jamyang leaves, Jurmey stands at the door holding his child and watches Jamyang going back to the monastery.

Two boys, two journeys, two destinations, One Murder

Following a murder, two boys take two journeys of self-realization. One, a restless and a bully at school, is forced to quit school and find his roots in a village. The other, a bright and promising student, runs away from the crime scene and wakes up in a monastery. Will they find what they are looking for? Will their paths cross?