** The first film from Bhutan to be nominated for Best International Feature! Co-presented with Tasveer **

A disillusioned schoolteacher is transferred to the most remote school in the world, cut off from modern life deep in the Himalayan glaciers. In a classroom with no electricity or even a blackboard, he finds himself with only a yak and a song that echoes through the mountains.

(Pawo Choyning Dorji, Bhutan & Taiwan, 2019, 110 min, in English & Dzongkha with English subtitles)
Synopsis and stills courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.

“Gloriously filmed on staggeringly beautiful locations around the most remote school on Earth and wonderfully performed by a cast comprised almost exclusively of first-time actors, this big-hearted crowd-pleaser marks a bright debut for writer-director Pawo Choyning Dorji.” – Variety

“About that yak: he’s a gift to Ugyen (to produce dung fuel), and he sits and chews in the background of classroom scenes, just happy to be there. The film basks in a similar mood of mild-mannered contentment.” – The New York Times

“Lunana feels like a timely tale for pandemic-weary audiences who should embrace a film that explores a longing for a more authentic, meaningful existence.” – Screen Daily