February 9, 2024
FILM: THE MONK AND THE GUN
DIRECTED BY: PAWO CHOYNING DORJI
STARRING: HARRY EINHORN, TANDIN PHUBZ, TANDIN WANGCHUK
RATING: 4 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Two years ago director Pawo Choyning Dorji’s first feature-length film Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom was a surprise and welcome nominee for the Best International Film Oscar. What was so amazing about this feat is that it’s country of origin, Bhutan, is very small (population is less than 800,000) and has almost no film industry. Due to the success of that work, Dorji’s now second film, The Monk and the Gun, became the country’s Oscar submission for 2024 (sadly, it didn’t get nominated.) It’s a well-deserved choice and expands upon the many delights found in the previous film.
The focus is on a small village called Ura where several events seem to be converging at once. The year is 2008 and the country’s king has just abdicated believing it is time for the country to move into the modern world with a leader democratically elected by the people. A small group of young, sophisticated officials arrive to teach the people how to vote. Some have no idea what the process is about and can’t even register to vote because they don’t know their birth dates. At the same time the local Lama has asked his assistant to find him two guns, for reasons we don’t find out until later in the film. He is a traditional Monk attempting to meditate while his young assistant chews gun and turns on the radio for music and news. Then, an American shows up trying to acquire an antique gun from the Civil War, which the Monk has in his possession as a reminder of previous fighting with the Tibetans.
Dorji includes a lot of interesting characters in this often very funny political satire. Some are more traditional than others, including a young mother who doesn’t understand the need for all of the social changes. Then there are the kids who become fascinated by MTV and James Bond when one of the locals gets a new satellite dish, opening them up to a world previously unknown. (The region reportedly didn’t have TV or internet until 2008.)
Essentially, what we witness here is a small country at the dawn of major modernization. Some embrace it but many are bewildered and content with the life as it is. This is a country whose primary spiritual guidance comes from the teachings of Buddhism. Do they really need or want elections, guns, TV, or anything else from the outside world?
The film reflects on some real events that happened in Bhutan at the time. A lot of it is very amusing to see but it’s actually a very interesting look at a country at a crossroads. One of Dorji’s primary themes here is: if we look to gain new things and progress, what do we lose in return? What happens to traditions? This is, after all, said to be one of the happiest countries on the planet. Why then should they be taught to be part of different political parties? Is there such a thing as too much progress?
The American character Ronald (Harry Einhorn) is particularly fascinating to watch as his values stand clearly in contrary to what most of this culture believes and desires. He stands a bit dumbfounded at times by their lack of interest in money, for instance. There is a rather funny moment later in the film when he is given a phallic symbol as a gift not knowing it actually represents something completely different in Bhutan than it does in Western society. (It essentially is a symbol to ward off evil spirits and to bring good fortune.)
The Monk and the Gun is a very eye-opening and entertaining look at a culture re-examining its identity. It opens in limited release today, including at the Gene Siskel Center in Chicago.
FILM: THE MONK AND THE GUN
DIRECTED BY: PAWO CHOYNING DORJI
STARRING: HARRY EINHORN, TANDIN PHUBZ, TANDIN WANGCHUK
RATING: 4 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Two years ago director Pawo Choyning Dorji’s first feature-length film Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom was a surprise and welcome nominee for the Best International Film Oscar. What was so amazing about this feat is that it’s country of origin, Bhutan, is very small (population is less than 800,000) and has almost no film industry. Due to the success of that work, Dorji’s now second film, The Monk and the Gun, became the country’s Oscar submission for 2024 (sadly, it didn’t get nominated.) It’s a well-deserved choice and expands upon the many delights found in the previous film.
The focus is on a small village called Ura where several events seem to be converging at once. The year is 2008 and the country’s king has just abdicated believing it is time for the country to move into the modern world with a leader democratically elected by the people. A small group of young, sophisticated officials arrive to teach the people how to vote. Some have no idea what the process is about and can’t even register to vote because they don’t know their birth dates. At the same time the local Lama has asked his assistant to find him two guns, for reasons we don’t find out until later in the film. He is a traditional Monk attempting to meditate while his young assistant chews gun and turns on the radio for music and news. Then, an American shows up trying to acquire an antique gun from the Civil War, which the Monk has in his possession as a reminder of previous fighting with the Tibetans.
Dorji includes a lot of interesting characters in this often very funny political satire. Some are more traditional than others, including a young mother who doesn’t understand the need for all of the social changes. Then there are the kids who become fascinated by MTV and James Bond when one of the locals gets a new satellite dish, opening them up to a world previously unknown. (The region reportedly didn’t have TV or internet until 2008.)
Essentially, what we witness here is a small country at the dawn of major modernization. Some embrace it but many are bewildered and content with the life as it is. This is a country whose primary spiritual guidance comes from the teachings of Buddhism. Do they really need or want elections, guns, TV, or anything else from the outside world?
The film reflects on some real events that happened in Bhutan at the time. A lot of it is very amusing to see but it’s actually a very interesting look at a country at a crossroads. One of Dorji’s primary themes here is: if we look to gain new things and progress, what do we lose in return? What happens to traditions? This is, after all, said to be one of the happiest countries on the planet. Why then should they be taught to be part of different political parties? Is there such a thing as too much progress?
The American character Ronald (Harry Einhorn) is particularly fascinating to watch as his values stand clearly in contrary to what most of this culture believes and desires. He stands a bit dumbfounded at times by their lack of interest in money, for instance. There is a rather funny moment later in the film when he is given a phallic symbol as a gift not knowing it actually represents something completely different in Bhutan than it does in Western society. (It essentially is a symbol to ward off evil spirits and to bring good fortune.)
The Monk and the Gun is a very eye-opening and entertaining look at a culture re-examining its identity. It opens in limited release today, including at the Gene Siskel Center in Chicago.