Skip to main content
The Monk and the Gun film image

The Monk and the Gun

This event has passed

On the eve of the Kingdom of Bhutan’s momentous transition to democracy in 2006, a monk sets off on a mysterious quest for his master, while an American collector arrives in a small town searching for a rare, valuable artefact. Director Pawo Choyning Dorji’s debut film, the first Oscar-nominated Bhutanese film, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, was a heartwarming, tranquil vision of rural life in the Himalayas. The Monk and the Gun is equally attuned to seeking simple, profound truths; an entertaining tale about the conflict between tradition and progress and a gentle ensemble drama interwoven with an entertaining comedy of manners and socio-political commentary. The Monk and the Gun shows the intricate dynamics of Bhutan’s cultural bonds, and not only tells a great story with its cast of colourful characters, but speaks to the warmth at the heart of the country itself.

Relaxed yet perceptive, The Monk And the Gun is a freewheeling convergence of modernity and tradition, the urban and the rural.
Screen International

 

Media Partner

Director
Cast

Tandin Wangchuk, Deki Lhamo, Pema Zangmo Sherpa, Tandin Sonam, Harry Einhorn

Credits
Country of Origin

Bhutan/France/USA/Taiwan

Year

2023

Series

Showcase

Language

In Dzongkha and English with English subtitles

18+
107 min
Comedy Drama

Book Tickets

This event has passed.

Credits

Screenwriter

Pawo Choyning Dorji

Cinematography

Jigmé T. Tenzing

Editor

Hsiao-Yun Ku

Original Music

Frédéric Alvarez

Director

Pawo Choyning Dorji headshot

Pawo Choyning Dorji

Pawo Choyning Dorji is a writer, photographer, and filmmaker from the Kingdom of Bhutan. Pawo’s introduction to film came in 2012 when he worked as Khyentse Norbu’s assistant for Vara: a Blessing. In 2016 he produced Norbu’s critically acclaimed Bhutanese feature Hema Hema: Sing Me a Song While I Wait. The film had its world premiere at the 69th Festival del film Locarno. His directing debut Lunana: a Yak in the Classroom was nominated at the Academy Awards for Best International Feature in 2021, the first Bhutanese film to be so recognized.

Filmography: Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2021)

Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre

Giant

Dir. George Stevens
198 min

This was the Yellowstone of its time: a big, sweeping modern Western built around an imposing ranch and family dynamics -- except Giant is much more subversive. James Dean strikes it rich as Jett Rink, much to the disgust of his former boss, Rock Hudson.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

Familiar Touch

Dir. Sarah Friedland
90 min

A loving portrait of an octogenarian transitioning into an assisted living facility, this award-winning first feature by choreographer Sarah Friedland has a simplicity and warmth that's exceptionally poignant.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

Super Happy Forever

Dir. Kohei Igarashi
94 min

This beguiling film depicts a man’s return to the Japanese seaside town where he met his now-deceased wife five years earlier. He tries to relive the past, and in the film's final section -- a flashback to 2018 -- the audience is afforded that privilege.

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre

A Streetcar Named Desire

Dir. Elia Kazan
122 min

"I don't want realism. I want magic!" declares Blanche du Bois, the tragic heroine who meets her nemesis in her sister's husband, Stanley Kowalski, in Tennessee Williams' great play. Brando's performance as Stanley is a turning point in American acting.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema
Georgia O'Keeffe: the Brightness of Light
Georgia O’Keeffe: The Brightness of Light film image; painted reds, pinks, oranges, and yellows that combine to look like a flower

Georgia O'Keeffe: the Brightness of Light

Dir. Paul Wagner
118 min

Drawing on her copious correspondence and the world's leading scholars, this is a definitive documentary on the life and work of "the mother of American Modernism."

VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

While You Weren't Looking

Dir. Catherine Stewart
72 min

The changing landscape of South African politics and lifestyles is portrayed through a trio of artfully counter-pointed relationships.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema VIFF Centre - Lochmaddy Studio Theatre