Lunana, A Yak in the Classroom
Ugyen, a young teacher from Bhutan, is confronted with himself when he is sent from the capital to teach in the very remote mountain village of Lunana. His new primitive living and working environment is hard for him, especially when he compares it to his more 'Western' life at home. There is no electricity in the Himalayan village, there are no school books and there is a serious lack of 'luxury' school equipment. But thanks to the hospitality, spirituality and warmth of the villagers, over time he learns to see life from a different angle and begins to cherish the experiences he had previously abhorred.
The film was appropriately shot using solar batteries because, as in the film, Lunana does not have the amount of electricity needed for normal movie shoots. So behind the scenes, cast and crew got to experience life at Lunana, which may explain the loving portrait of this special village. Nominated for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film in 2022.
