Review by
Benjamin Poole
Directed by: Pawo Choyning Dorji
Starring: Sherab Dorji, Ugyen Norbu Lhendup, Kelden Lhamo Gurung, Kunzang Wangdi, Tshering Dorji
You've got to hand it to Bhutan. A landlocked sovereignty bordered by
southern China and north India, Bhutan defied Tibetan invasion and has
consistently maintained a degree of independence from the Empire. As of
March 2nd 2023, in the big list of world populations, Bhutan is 159th - a
tiny country, really, but this didn't prevent Bhutan becoming the first
world-leading nation in its role of vaccinating its population during
Covid. The culture is increasingly progressive too, with an absolute
monarchy ceding to a parliamentary democracy in 2008. This government even
has a guiding policy called Gross National Happiness (GNH) dedicated to
the collective cheer and well-being of the population. As a part of this
philosophy, in 1999 the restrictions surrounding accessibility to
television and film were lifted, despite previous concerns that such
entertainments "could erode traditional Bhutanese values." Thus, in The
Land of the Thunder Dragon, a nascent film industry began.
I think that in the case of writer/director Pawo Choyning Dorji's
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, an appreciation of cultural context is instructive. In terms of cinema,
Bhutan is a young country, with domestically produced films that are open
hearted and fizzing with the earnest joy of simply existing. Case in hand
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom concerns Ugyen (Sherab Dorji), a young man who is completing a five-year teacher training course.
Ugyen is cheesed off, though. He'd rather go west to Australia and fulfil
his dream of becoming a singer. It gets worse when Ugyen is sent by the
government to teach in the highly remote, highly traditional and very high
up Lunana region, where they make tea out of Yak crap and don't know what
toothbrushes are. Ugyen doesn't want to go, but his grandmother encourages
him to.
Within these gentle narrative rhythms, will Ugyen learn a thing or two
about conventional values and what really matters? Perhaps there will be a
mutually attractive potential partner for Ugyen to moon over (Saldon -
Kelden Lhamo Gurung) as she throat-sings in stark contrast to
Ugyen's poppy guitar stylings. Maybe Ugyen, initially nonplussed at the
rustic environment and resourceless classroom, will eventually be won over
by the keen little poppits he teaches...
Although it has been fairly well received in festivals, and shortlisted
for last year's Academy Awards, in terms of story arcs and intent, there
is nothing especially compelling in
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (apart, perhaps, from its
bittersweet ending ). It duly follows the trajectory of comedies such as
School of Rock and, a favourite, Nativity!: films where the kitsch outcomes of jaded/reluctant teacher-is-won-over
hold little verisimilitude, but which are instead reassuringly cosy in
their hyperbolic comedy representations. This more sincere demonstration
is really quite lovely at times, but comparatively sober, and lacking in
narrative imperative.
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom's soothing action takes place within a stunning landscape, and I imagine
that the mountainous sweep of Jigme Tenzing's photography would
look superb on a big screen; just as the actuality that most of the cast
are genuine highlanders who drink tea made from Yak crap and had no idea
what a toothbrush was, too gives the film an appealing authenticity. But
such overriding selling points may mean that
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, and its paeans to traditional Bhutanese values, is received as
something more akin to a cultural artefact than a wholly satisfying
narrative experience. Gentle and warm enough, though, this is a film that
will contribute positively to anyone's GNH measure.
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom is on UK/ROI VOD now.
