"What does the Lama want with the gun?": A little film gem from Bhutan | NDR.de - Culture - Film

Status: 31.07.2024 06:00 a.m.

The film by director Pawo Choyning Dorji captivates not only with its story, but also with the images of the Himalayas – and above all with its humor and calm observations.

by Anna Wollner

“Tell me, who is this hero?”
“His name is James Bond, I think. But everyone calls him 007.”
Film scene

Bhutan, early 2000s: Probably the only place on earth where the inhabitants have never heard of James Bond, thanks to the lack of television and internet. One of many pop-cultural jabs in the wonderful “What does the lama want with the gun?”, which shows that life here is different from the rest of the world – it has a different pace, a different mentality. And yet the king wants to hold elections for the first time ever and has to get his population in the mood for this with a trial run.

A seemingly small story that tells something big

It is a serious matter that director Pawo Choyning Dorji tells through three narrative strands – all set in a small mountain village at the foot of the Himalayas. It is the story of a family with different needs for progress, that of the election worker who brings progress, and that of monk Tashi, who is supposed to get the lama a rifle or two.

“I need two guns. I need them by the full moon. Things have to be put right. There is great chaos.”
“What’s wrong, Lama?”
“Our country is changing.”
Film scene

It is a seemingly small story that, when broken down into the province and rural life, tells a big story. A comedy with bite, an almost documentary observation of everyday life, a film that tells of the contrast between the traditional, cultural and spiritual values of the country, but also of urban Bhutan.

Filmed exclusively with amateurs

Director Pawo Choyning Dorji, who was even nominated for an Oscar for his debut “Lunana – Happiness lies in the Himalayas”, has returned to his homeland for his second feature film. Due to a lack of professional actors, he shot with amateurs. The lama, for example, is the current lama of the village of Ura, Kelsang Choejay, who was in front of a camera for the first time in his life. Monk Tashi is played by Tandin Wanachuk, the lead singer of a well-known alternative rock band from Bhutan – which is also known in the Himalayan regions of northern India, Nepal and Sikkim.

“What does the Lama want with the gun?” captivates with its story, its humor and the images – the landscape shots of the Himalayas. The people from the village get their fair share of criticism just as much as the enlightened city dwellers. Pawo Choyning Dorji doesn’t judge anyone, he simply tells the story of a country in transition, between tradition and modernity, monarchy and democracy – and the constant search for happiness. A little gem!