Serga Mathang bagged the Prime Minister’s award for best film at the Bhutan National Film Awards 2017, yesterday. The Prime Minister’s award, instituted for the first time this year, carries a cash prize of Nu 1 M.
The film also won three other awards. Serga Mathang, which literally means golden cousin, was shot in one of the villages in Pema Gatshel. A marriage between cross cousins is widely practiced in eastern districts even today. The film explores this age old tradition and how the modern Bhutanese society views it. The film was produced with a budget of more than Nu 3 M.
Film Hum Chewai Zamling was declared the first runners-up and the film Thrung Thrung Karmo was the second runners-up. These two films also received the Prime Minister’s Award and Nu one million each.
The best actor male went to Gyem Dorji from the film “Pot of Gold” and Tandin Bidha shedding tears of joy took the best actor female for her work in the movie Bum Badha Chen Mi Rinzi.
Prime Minister informed the gathering that the government is in the process of coming up with a policy to support the film industry and said that more cinema halls will be built. The Bhutan National Film Awards was introduced in 2001. About twenty one films competed for various awards this year.
