I, the Song
Nima, a teacher living in the capital of Bhutan, suddenly becomes the subject of widespread rumours when a digitally circulated non-consensual intimate video is believed to feature her. Determined to prove her innocence, she travels to southern Bhutan in search of her doppelgänger, only to discover that the woman has mysteriously disappeared from the town. As Nima investigates her double’s absence, she uncovers the story of a sacred local song that was “stolen” and “desecrated” by the city.
In a country with a population of just 700,000, the circulation of private online videos can have devastating consequences for ordinary citizens. I, the Song, Bhutan’s 2025 Oscar submission directed by one of the country’s few female filmmakers, explores themes of women’s identity within a tightly knit society, while exposing the vulnerabilities of a rapidly digitalising world. It is a meditative film about music, identity, love, and a culture balanced precariously on the threshold of a reckless digital age.
