The Monk and the Gun is a 2023 drama film directed, written and co-produced by Pawo Choyning Dorji.[6] Starring Tandin Wangchuk, Deki Lhamo, Pema Zangmo Sherpa, Tandin Sonam, Harry Einhorn, Choeying Jatsho, Tandin Phubz, Yuphel Lhendup Selden and Kelsang Choejay.[7] It is a co-production between Bhutan, Taiwan, France, the United States, and Hong Kong.[8]
| The Monk and the Gun | |
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| Directed by | Pawo Choyning Dorji |
| Written by | Pawo Choyning Dorji |
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| Cinematography | Jigme Tenzing |
| Edited by | Hsiao Yun-Ku |
| Music by | Frederic Alvarez |
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Running time | 107 minutes |
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| Box office | $166,345[4][5] |
It was selected as the Bhutanese entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards,[9] and was one of the 15 finalist films in the December shortlist.[10]
Synopsis edit
Set in 2006, the Kingdom of Bhutan is looking to become a democracy, so looking to hold an election, government officials organize a mock election as a training exercise. In the town of Ura, an old lama orders a monk to get a pair of weapons to face the imminent change in the kingdom. Meanwhile, an American antique weapons collector lands in Bhutan in search of a valuable rifle that falls into the monk's hands.[11][12]
Plot edit
The film follows the story of Tashi, a young monk in Bhutan, and Ron Coleman, an American visitor. Tashi's lama asks for guns, an odd request considering the rarity of guns in Bhutanese society. Meanwhile, Ron is in Bhutan to acquire an antique rifle for a collector. The film explores Bhutan's movement towards democracy, while satirizing the fascination for guns and violence suggested as endemic in democratic society. The villagers humorously attempt to understand elections, while tension builds as Ron's and Tashi's stories intertwine. In the end, the movie leaves the audience to consider the true nature of modern democracy and the allure of firearms.
Cast edit
- Harry Einhorn as Ron Coleman
- Tandin Wangchuk as Tashi
- Deki Lhamo as Tshomo
- Pema Zangmo Sherpa as Tshering Yangden
- Tandin Sonam as Benji
- Choeying Jatsho as Choephel
- Tandin Phubz as Phurba
- Yuphel Lhendup Selden
- Kelsang Choejay
Release edit
The Monk and the Gun had its world premiere on September 1, 2023, at the 50th Telluride Film Festival,[13] and then screened on September 9 in the Centerpiece section of the 48th Toronto International Film Festival.[14][15] It was also invited at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in the 'A Window on Asian Cinema' section and was screened in October 2023.[16] In October 2023, Roadside Attractions acquired the North American distribution rights to the film,[17] and a U.S. release is scheduled for February 2, 2024.[18]
Reception edit
The film has received numerous positive reviews. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 38 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The website's consensus reads: "Surrounding its poignant insights with a gentle layer of crowd-pleasing comedy, The Monk and the Gun is a timely political satire that underscores the fragility of democracy."[19] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 74 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[20]
Deadline Hollywood's chief film critic Pete Hammond called it one of the best films in the 50th Telluride Film Festival, writing that there was "no sophomore jinx here, this one is even better than Pawo Choyning Dorji's first, and that is saying something", and that the director "presents a gentle satirical jab at American democracy, but shows the difficulties of changing a society whose pure and lovely innocence stands in the way of a political revolution, even as they are also just discovering James Bond and The Spice Girls".[21]
The Monk and the Gun won the Showcase Audience Choice Award for the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival.[22] The film was also awarded the Special Jury Prize at the 2023 Rome Film Festival.[23]
Alex Billington of the First Showing described the film as "a fascinating philosophical look at life in Bhutan, which was told with confidence and filmed absolutely perfectly", hailing it as "a brilliant satirical commentary on America's stubborn ways, as opposed to the more sensible Bhutan society based in Buddhism. Not only is watching The Monk and the Gun such a pleasant and uplifting experience, it's the kind of film that will leave you profoundly affected by the story." Billington further added that the film was "one-of-a-kind", and that it "[provided] a profoundly distinct perspective on Buddhist philosophy and Himalayan culture that many are entirely unfamiliar with and can't quite make sense of".[24]
Stephen Farber from The Hollywood Reporter positively highlights the film's sense of humor along with its lively and piquant narration, although unnecessary complications arise in the development of the story. He also praised the persuasive performances of the entire cast.[25]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Dams, Tim. "Films Boutique boards latest film from Bhutanese director of Oscar-nominated 'Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom' (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 2023-11-11. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ a b Keslassy, Elsa (2023-10-26). "Bhutan's Oscar Entry 'The Monk and the Gun' Sells to Major Distributors Worldwide". Variety. Archived from the original on 2023-10-30. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
- ^ Hammond, Pete (18 October 2023). "Roadside Attractions Takes North American Rights To Bhutan Oscar Entry 'The Monk And The Gun' Following Telluride and Toronto Premieres". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
- ^ "The Monk and the Gun". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ "The Monk and the Gun". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ "First Trailer for Fascinating 'The Monk and the Gun' Film from Bhutan | FirstShowing.net". FirstShowing.net. 2023-09-03. Archived from the original on 2023-09-05. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ "Bhutan Selects Pawo Choyning Dorji's 'The Monk and The Gun' as Oscar Entry for Best International Feature". VIMooZ. 2023-09-08. Archived from the original on 2023-10-08. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ "The Monk and the Gun de Pawo Choyning Dorji (2023) – Unifrance". Unifrance. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (2023-09-08). "Oscars: Bhutan Submits Toronto Title 'The Monk And The Gun' For Best International Feature". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ Bergeson, Samantha (2023-12-21). "2024 Oscar Shortlists Unveiled: 'Barbie,' 'Poor Things,' 'Maestro,' and 'The Zone of Interest' Make the Cut". IndieWire. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ "The Monk and the Gun". Toronto International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2023-09-16. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ Thompson, Anne (2023-09-09). "Bhutan's Oscar Submission 'The Monk and the Gun' Captures an Evolving Nation at a Moment of Transition". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 2023-09-10. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ Thompson, Anne (2023-08-30). "2023 Telluride Film Festival Lineup Leans on Filmmakers Like Lanthimos, Fennell, Haigh, Triet, and More". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 2023-09-20. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ arnewsteam (2023-08-10). "TIFF Announces 2023 Centerpiece Program". Awards Radar. Archived from the original on 2023-10-08. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (2023-08-10). "Agnieszka Holland, Wim Wenders, Aki Kaurismaki, Hamaguchi Ryusuke Feature in Toronto Centrepiece Program". Variety. Archived from the original on 2023-08-18. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ "The 28th Busan International Film Festival: Selection List". Busan International Film Festival. September 5, 2023. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ Hammond, Pete (18 October 2023). "Roadside Attractions Takes North American Rights To Bhutan Oscar Entry 'The Monk And The Gun' Following Telluride and Toronto Premieres". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
- ^ "The Monk and The Gun - Official Trailer", IGN, 2023-12-07, retrieved 2023-12-27
- ^ "The Monk and the Gun". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "The Monk and the Gun". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
- ^ Hammond, Pete (2023-09-04). "'The Monk And The Gun' Review/Interview: Bhutan Director Pawo Choyning Dorji's 2nd Film Even Tops The Oscar-Nominated 'Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom' – Telluride Film Festival". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
- ^ Wells, V.S. (2023-10-05). "'VIFF announces award winners'". The Georgia Straight. Archived from the original on 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ Scarpa, Vittoria (2023-10-30). "'Pedágio triunfa en la 18.ª Fiesta del Cine de Roma'". cineuropa. Archived from the original on 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ Billington, Alex (2023-09-17). "TIFF Review: 'The Monk and the Gun' is a Brilliant Story from Bhutan". Firstshowing. Archived from the original on 2023-10-08. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
- ^ Farber, Stephen (2023-09-05). "'The Monk and the Gun' Review: From Bhutan, a Wry Satirical Comedy About Democracy and Violence". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2023-09-12. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
