Berlin-based Films Boutique has boarded international sales for Bhutanese director Pawo Choyning Dorji’s The Monk And The Gun, which has its international premiere at Toronto next month in the festival’s Centrepiece programme
Dorji previously directed Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom, which was nominated for best international feature at last year’s Academy Awards. Lunana premiered at the BFI London Film Festival in 2019, played widely on the festival circuit and secured multiple distribution deals including with Samuel Goldwyn for North America.
The Monk And The Gun is set in Bhutan in 2006 as the country becomes the last in the world to connect to the internet and television, and now the biggest change of all comes: democracy. To teach the people how to vote, the authorities organise a mock election, but the locals seem unconvinced. Travelling to rural Bhutan where religion is more popular than politics, the election supervisor discovers that a monk is planning a mysterious ceremony for the election day.
Dorji said: “I wished to share this unique story of how Bhutan embraced modernisation and democracy with the world because it really highlights the beautiful quality of ‘innocence’, which we at times mistake for ‘ignorance’. This film was also shot in a remote location, although not as remote as Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom. There are definitely many challenges to such a production, but through these challenges and limitations, we learn to become more resilient and creative.”
The production companies for The Monk And The Gun are Dangphu Dingphu: A 3 Pigs Production, Films Boutique, Journey to the East Films, Tomson Films, Closer Media, Animandala, N8 Studios and Wooden Trailer Productions.
The producers are Pawo Choyning Dorji, Jean-Christophe Simon, Hsu Feng and Stephanie Lai. The film was supported by CNC - Aides au cinéma du Monde (France) and Visions Sud Est (Switzerland).
United Talent Agency handles North America sales.
Films Boutique’s Jean-Christophe Simon said: “We are excited to continue to continue our common work with Pawo following the historic journey of Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom, a tiny budget film from Bhutan that made it to the Oscars nominations and became an international box office hit.
“The Monk And The Gun takes us back to the mountains of Bhutan for a new adventure set at the time when the quiet country was shaken up by the sudden decision of the King to import democracy in the most remote country in the world. It’s a heart warming story with colorful and touching characters, full of funny moments. It is also a very timely film about democracy with valuable teachings from the happiest nation of the world which will surely captivate audiences worldwide once again. ”
Films Boutique is also representing Agnieszka Holland’s latest film Green Border in competition in Venice and Centrepiece in Toronto as well as Gabor Reisz’ Explanation For Everything selected for Horizons in Venice and The Rye Horn by Jaione Camborda selected for TIFF Platform.
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