Direction: Pawo Choyning Dorji
Country: Bhutan / other
From Pawo Choyning Dorji, the Bhutanese director of Lunana: a Yak in the Classroom (2019), comes The Monk and the Gun, a light comedy-drama set against the backdrop of Bhutan's first democratic election. This formerly isolated monarchic country, now encountering the internet and TV for the first time, serves as the setting for a story that piques our curiosity from the start.
Written by Dorji, the story pikes our curiosity about the intention of the village’s lama who, during his meditation retreat, asks his assistant monk (Tandin Wangchuk) to bring him two guns for a mysterious ceremony scheduled for the election day. As the debate between modernizing or maintaining traditions creates friction among villagers and disruption in families, an American gun collector (Harry Einhorn) arrives in town to buy a rare old rifle, with the local Benji (Tandin Sonam) acting as the mediator.
Whether seen it as an original moral tale or a modern fable, this well-tempered and didactic film remains engaging despite minor plot quibbles and occasional pacing issues. Painted with tenderness and a subtle yet delightful humor, this canvas also serves as an ode to Bhutan’s sublime landscape, celebrating pacifism and tolerance with inspiring simplicity and spiritual appeal.
The film’s peaceful, idyllic tones underscore its message of compassion and peace triumphing over suffering, hatred, and aggression. The Monk and the Gun offers a relaxing and deeply felt portrait of the Bhutanese people, with its educational value standing out as invaluable. Dorji’s perspective is bracing, and his film a serene experience.
