Bhutanese film Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom has made history as the first Bhutanese film to be nominated for the Academy Awards popularly known as the Oscars. It is one of five films nominated under the Best International Feature Film Category for the Oscars regarded as the most prestigious awards in the entertainment industry. The film directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji is the second movie to be submitted from Bhutan.
The movie stars local children and villagers in one of the most remote villages in the country. It was shot at Lunana, located at more than 16,000 feet above sea level. The movie was shot using solar-powered batteries and limited practical filmmaking resources.
It took three months to complete the shooting. The film is about a young aspiring singer Ugyen living in Thimphu. He is a teacher by profession but dreams of relocating to Australia. However, he is transferred to Lunana to teach the children there.
Directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji, the 2019 film has so far won 18 international awards in the US, England, Wales, France and South Korea among others.
Initially, 93 countries submitted films for the Best International Feature Film Category for the 94th Academy Awards. But now, along with Lunana: A yak in the classroom, the other four movies competing for the category this year are Japan’s Drive my Car, Denmark’s Flee, Italy’s The hand of God, and Norway’s The Worst Person in the World.
“Getting selected for the last 15, I thought it took lots of luck and a lot of Soenam. So, I thought maybe all our luck was exhausted in making it to the last 15 but now to make it into the nomination stage, it feels surreal,” said Pawo Choyning Dorji, the film’s director and writer.
He added that this news comes at a time when the country is going through a difficult phase and hopes it brings joy to people in the country.
“Getting an Oscar nomination for a Bhutanese film is a historic milestone, for our country, for our culture, for our artists, for our storytellers and I hope that this inspires, more than the film winning the award, getting the recognition, I hope this milestone inspires a generation of Bhutanese storytellers, Bhutanese artist to give them hope that even they can make it and maybe do even better what Lunana has done.”
Thousands of people welcomed the news in the country.
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom is Bhutan’s first Oscars’ entry in over 20 years. The film is the second entry from Bhutan since The Cup by Khyentse Rinpoche in 1999. The Cup, however, didn’t make it past the first round.
The 94th Academy Awards is scheduled to take place on March 27 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, USA.
Samten Dolkar
