Charming “Lunana: The Yak in the Classroom” takes Bhutanese teacher to the world’s most remote school | Movies

Tucked away excessive within the Himalayas, Lunana is an eight-day journey from Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu. It’s additionally as far-off from the trendy metropolis culturally – a self-sufficient, Buddhist enclave of about 60 folks with no electrical energy, shops, and even vehicles.

And that’s a part of the shock that greets Ugyen (Sherab Dorji), a trainer who desires to drop his authorities contract to go to Australia to change into a singer, however is as an alternative dispatched to Lunana to work out the final months of his settlement.

Author/director Pawo Choyning Dorji’s charming movie follows Ugyen on his journey into the highlands, accompanied by two guides, who discover his city methods each mystifying and foolish. Predictably, instantly after arriving, Ugyen desires to return.

However the horses should relaxation earlier than a journey down the mountains and, by the point, they’re able to go Ugyen has begun instructing the ten or so enthusiastic younger learners, led by their cute “class captain” Pem Zam, and decides to remain.

The remainder of the mild movie follows Ugyen as he finds his method into the normal village life-style – watching him harvest dung for the primary time is a hoot. And in doing so, the image sends its message of compassion for others creating private happiness, no iPod required.

“Lunana: A Yak within the Classroom” isn’t a Buddhist film per se. However the tiny kingdom between Nepal and China is a Buddhist nation and Dorji, a loyal Buddhist.

Alongside the journey, Ugyen runs throughout prayer flags, the guides make choices to the protectors of the mountain passes and sing songs stuffed with Buddhist notions of a transparent thoughts and growing happiness – which is a part of the nation’s drive to create ”Gross Nationwide Happiness.”

Filmed in Lunana and alongside the trek, the movie gives a glimpse into the great thing about the mist-enshrouded mountains, excessive plateaus lined with grass and grazing yaks and the village, which isn’t quite a bit completely different now than it might have been centuries in the past.

There’s loads of authenticity within the performances as nicely. Lunana locals, who had by no means seen a film, have been employed to play themselves and from the chattering kids to the quiet village chief and the girl who sings a track about yaks from the village’s peak, they arrive off 100% actual, performing naturally, so to talk.

“Lunana: A Yak within the Classroom” grew to become the primary Bhutanese movie to obtain an Academy Award nomination this yr. It was overwhelmed within the Greatest Worldwide Function Award by “Drive My Automobile.” Nevertheless it was positively a deserved nomination for the touching little movie with the large message from the highest of the world.