An indifferent young teacher is dismayed at being assigned to a remote school high in the mountains of Bhutan. There's no phone reception, little electricity and minimal accommodation. But there are a host of bright-eyed children eager to learn, plus new friends to make in the form of Lunana locals, and a number of yaks.
Shot in staggeringly beautiful locations, Pawo Choyning Dorji's directorial debut – Bhutan’s first-ever Oscars entry for Best International Feature – explores the potential for finding contentment in unexpected places. This concept is key to Bhutan, which famously declared Gross National Happiness its most important measure of success.
Balancing gentle humour with life-affirming drama, and featuring natural performances by largely first-time actors, Lunana is an uplifting tale about the power of a new environment to effect personal transformation.
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- Joe Harris
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