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FILMS
LUNANA, A YAK
IN THE CLASSROOM
21 / 10 / 2022 – 18:30 h. – Catalan subtitles
23 / 10 / 2022 – 11:15 h. – Spanish subtitles
Synopsis
Ugyen is a young teacher in Bhutan, who shirks his duties as he plans to go to Australia to become a singer. As a reprimand, his superiors send him to the most remote school in the world, a glacial Himalayan village called Lunana. After an exhausting journey, Ugyen arrives in Lunana, where he finds himself without electricity or heating, in a school with no windows or blackboard.
Though poor, the villagers warmly welcome their new teacher, but he is faced with the daunting task of teaching the village children without any materials. Desperate, he wants to give up and leave as soon as possible but, little by little, he is conquered by the simplicity, kindness and desire to learn of the little ones and their families.
Pawo Choyning Dorji makes his directorial debut offering a charismatic story about traditions and a reflection on teaching and the figure of the teacher. Shot on gorgeous locations, using only solar-powered equipment, most of the actors are local herders who have never seen the world beyond their village. An emotional journey that will touch the heart.
Direction
Pawo Choyning Dorji (June 23, 1983) is an Indian-born Bhutanese filmmaker and photographer. He made his directorial debut with the feature film Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2019).
Dorji met Buddhist teacher and filmmaker Khyentse Norbu in 2006 and discovered cinema by working with him, first as an assistant director on Vara: A Blessing (2013) and then as a producer on Hema Hema (2016).
As a photographer, Dorji has contributed to publications such as VICE, Esquire, and Life. He is the author of several essay books on photography.