Two Bhutanese scriptwriters won the National Script Development Grant (NSDG) on Sunday. The award comes with financial support to develop their ideas into film scripts. Out of 33 applicants, five finalists were selected. Launched in 2022, the initiative aims to improve narrative depth and technical skills.
25-year-old Sonam Zangmo from Monggar won one thousand dollars for her script “Tshozhi.” The story is about a makeup artist who returns to his village, challenging traditions and fighting for love and self-acceptance.
Sonam Zangmo said, “If I may give a gist about my story, a thing called love, is so soft and tender, yet it is called awful just because of our gender.”
And 33-year-old Pema Dorji from Punakha won the seven hundred dollar grant. He started working on the script during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.
“The movie I have written is Pandemonium in Silence. It is an English anthology movie that I have written. It consists of four stories which is very close to my heart. It’s a story of the COVID journey, especially during the lockdown and how it has hampered our lives,” said Pema Dorji.
The initiative trained the five finalists on professional screenplay writing.
Golan Pictures and the Department of Media, Creative Industry & Intellectual Property funded the initiative.
“Once these treatments are developed, they can be presented at global project markets for investors to fund their ideas, enabling them to be developed into films. By doing this, we create powerful narratives from Bhutan and help individuals realize their visions,” said Chand KV. Rai, Head/Filmmaker, Golan Pictures.
The initiative is a step forward for Bhutanese cinema, nurturing creativity and paving the way for a brighter future in storytelling.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
