Pawo Choyning Dorji's latest film is a political satire based in the Bhutanese Kingdom titled “The Monk and the Gun”. Notably recognized for "Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom", Dorji's new offering is set in the transitional period of 2006 when Bhutan was just becoming the world's most recent democracy. The film, brought beautifully to life by the cinematography of Jigme Tenzing, provides a chorus of comedy by presenting how mock elections in Bhutan significantly impact different aspects of the society, from a simple monk and a rural family to an election official and a city-focused liaison.
An elderly monk, Kelsang Choejey, of the quaint village of Ura hears about the mock elections and asks for two guns before the upcoming election date, which mystifyingly, is also the day of a full moon. His reasons for this request are left unannounced until the captivating conclusion of the film.
As his attendant, Tashi portrayed convincingly by Tandin Wangchuck, begins his journey to find the guns, the narrative also introduces an election officer, Tshering, enacted by Pema Zangmo Sherpa. Tshering is seen navigating through the education of the rural folks about voting and party dynamics, symbolized by different colors. While blue stands for freedom and equality, red represents industrial growth, and yellow, conservation. The film humorously displays villagers participating in contrived deadlock.
Meanwhile, the family of a local woman named Tshomo is falling apart due to the upcoming vote. The film tackles how political affiliations can create deep divisions within families. Caught up in political ambition, Tshomo's husband Choephel seems to forget about his family's immediate needs, much to the disappointment of their young daughter.
The influence of media, in particular television, is a crucial theme in this film. Given that it wasn't until 1999 that Bhutan lifted the ban on both television and Internet, Dorji tackles how these platforms affect the country's progress. The film criticizes the unfavorable influence of external cultures such as American pop culture and is critical of how international media might influence the community’s perception of their own democracy.
Tashi, during his quest for guns, stumbles upon an antique rifle with an intriguing backstory of its journey from the American Civil War to Bhutan. Simultaneously, a shady American collector Ron and his cityslicker guide Benji also pursue this firearm, mirroring the struggles of urban life with traditional rural experiences.
Dorji intelligently intertwines multiple storylines, reminiscent of the narrative style of Robert Altman. Intriguingly, the Bhutanese countryside isn't just a backdrop but acts as an elusive character in the film. This vast montage of characters and narratives eventually converge near the village’s stupa representing Buddha's enlightened mind as suggested by Lama.
As the Bhutanese society braces for this wave of change, the film hints at the struggle in trying to balance modernization while maintaining their cultural identity. The film contemplates whether the appeal of modernization is worth the potential sacrifice of their national aspiration – the happiness of its people.
