First Trailer for Fascinating ‘The Monk and the Gun’ Film from Bhutan

First Trailer for Fascinating ‘The Monk and the Gun’ Film from Bhutan

by Alex Billington
September 3, 2023
Source: YouTube

“We live in strange times.” Cinetic has debuted a festival promo trailer for the indie film The Monk and the Gun, the second feature made by the very talented Bhutanese filmmaker Pawo Choyning Dorji. His first film, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, was nominated for Best International Film at the 2022 Academy Awards – getting him tons of extra attention. He’s back with his next new feature, another drama set in the stunning mountains of Bhutan (it’s near Nepal & Tibet). The Monk and the Gun premiered at the Telluride Film Festival this weekend, and stops at TIFF next this fall – seeking a distributor. The intro from TIFF: “Set in 2006, when the Kingdom of Bhutan began its transition to democracy, this playful ensemble drama is a poignant parable about the impossibility of embracing modernity without reckoning with the past.” The story follows an American who travels into Bhutan in search of a treasure and crosses path with a young monk wandering through the serene mountains. The film stars Tandin Wangchuk, Deki Lhamo, Pema Zangmo Sherpa, Tandin Sonam, & Harry Einhorn. This is a film I just have to see – will be watching.

Here’s the official trailer (+ poster) for Pawo Choyning Dorji’s The Monk and The Gun, from YouTube:

The Monk and The Gun is set in the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2006. Modernization has finally arrived. Bhutan becomes the last country in the world to connect to the internet and television, and now the biggest change of all: democracy. To teach the people how to vote, the authorities organize a mock election, but the locals seem unconvinced. Traveling to rural Bhutan where religion is more popular than politics, the election supervisor discovers that a monk is planning a mysterious ceremony for the election day. The Monk and The Gun is written and directed by acclaimed Bhutanese filmmaker Pawo Choyning Dorji, director of the Oscar-nominated film Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom previously. Produced by Feng Hsu, Stephanie Lai, and Jean-Christophe Simon. This is premiering at the 2023 Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals this fall. No other release dates have been set – stay tuned for updates as it plays at more festivals. Who’s interested?

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