The Monk and the Gun
Pawo Choyning Dorji, the acclaimed Bhutanese director behind Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, returns with an accomplished second feature on the quality of innocence.
Under the gun: A lama (Kelsang Choejey) and his people
Image courtesy of Roadside Attractions
In a story that brings new dimension to the narrative concept of Chekhov's Gun, writer/director Pawo Choyning Dorji showcases the beauty of Bhutan and highlights an important chapter in the country’s history. Dorji (a Tarantino fan) achieves a rare feat, threading together separate storylines to demonstrate the impact of political change on the small rural villages of Bhutan. With humour and grace, Dorji illustrates how external forces on the country and culture create the circumstances for violence and unrest, while uplifting essential qualities found among the Bhutanese people. In a very competitive year for international film, The Monk and the Gun was shortlisted among 15 films for the 96th Academy Awards—only the second feature from Bhutan to make that list. The other, of course, being Dorji’s debut feature Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom which was nominated in the category in 2022.
The Monk and the Gun is set in 2006 in the Kingdom of Bhutan where the King has decided to abdicate and give his people the power to choose their own leader. The last country to allow television and the internet must suddenly prepare to become the world’s youngest democracy. With the world watching, election officials travel to the country’s rural villages to hold instructive mock elections in order to teach the people how to vote. When an elderly lama (Kelsang Choejey) learns about the changes coming to his country, he instructs his young disciple Tashi (Tandin Wangchuk) to bring him two guns before the full moon.
Pawo Choyning Dorji’s sophomore feature not only demonstrates his deep ability to tell stories with compassion and understanding, humour and heart, but his evolution as a filmmaker. In the middle of a political satire, Dorji manages to treat each character with dignity and respect. Where Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom elegantly illustrated a simple story, The Monk and the Gun weaves together a complex series of characters chasing their own specific needs. His examination of the quality of innocence yields amusing dividends, such as when the latest addition to a household is blessed (a TV) and ‘black water’ is ordered at a bodega (a Coke). From election officials trying to teach opposing political parties how they must despise one another to the political conversations that begin in marriages, it’s a thought-provoking look at how the pursuit of something new may cause the loss of something you already have. Accentuated by beautiful cinematography that highlights the sumptuous Bhutanese countryside, The Monk and the Gun is a sharp-witted look at a moment of unprecedented peaceful transition of power. For those of us in the Western world, it’s also a strong reminder of the wisdom and benefits of innocence, compassion, generosity and hospitality.
CHAD KENNERK
Cast: Tandin Wangchuk, Deki Lhamo, Pema Zangmo Sherpa, Tandin Sonam, Harry Einhorn, Choeying Jatsho, Tandin Phubz, Yuphel Lhendup Selden, Kelsang Choejay.
Dir Pawo Choyning Dorji, Pro Jean-Christophe Simon, Hsu Feng, Stephanie Lai, and Pawo Choyning Dorji, Screenplay Pawo Choyning Dorji, Ph Jigme Tenzing, Pro Des Chungdra Gyeltshen, Ed Hsiao-Yun Ku, Music Frédéric Alvarez, Sound Tu Duu-Chih, Chiang Yi-Chen.
Dangphu Dingphu: A 3 Pigs Production/Films Boutique/Journey to the East Films/Tomson Films/Closer Media/Animandala/N8 Studios/Wooden Trailer Productions-Roadside Attractions.
107 mins. Bhutan. 2023. US Rel: 9 February 2024. Cert. PG-13.
