Voyageurs et magiciens

Dondup (Tsewang Dandup) is a Bhutanese government officer who has just been assigned to a small village. He's anxiously awaiting a letter from a friend in America. As soon as he receives it, he plans to meet his friend in Bhutan's capital, Timphu, and from there make his way to America, which he imagines of a land of great beauty and great opportunity, with "cool", beautiful women and an exciting lifestyle.

Extending from the premise, Travellers and Magicians becomes a combination of a road film and a grass-is-greener film. Dondup receives his letter, but partially due to cultural formalities and niceties, he misses the bus he needed to catch to make it to Timphu--a 2-day journey--on time. Increasingly agitated, he meets up with a humble apple-seller and a Buddhist monk on the road, and eventually two more people join the group. While they travel, the monk very gradually tells them a parallel story meant to serve as a parable, which we see enacted.

The structure and subgenres of the film provide a nice framework for two major, intertwined themes, both of them very Buddhist in nature. The subtler theme, most rooted in it being a road movie, is that of living in the moment, which is one aspect of mindfulness. The journey, here shown in a literal way, but also meant figuratively, is just as important as arriving at a destination. The more explicit theme, rooted in the grass-is-greener aspect, is a warning against the attachment to hopes, desires and dreams. Attachment is different than merely having hopes, desires and dreams. Attachment is a state where one stops being mindful of the here and now.

Dondup keeps dreaming about America. In his mind, he's already there, and his appearance and behavior evidence this. He talks of how beautiful it must be, yet Bhutan, which is on the edge of South-Central China, in the Himalayas, not too far from Mount Everest and Nepal, isn't short on beauty. Exquisite cinematography keeps us aware of this, and stresses how Dondup cannot see what is right in front of his face. He also dreams of the job he might hold in America--perhaps he'll be an apple-picker or dishwasher, he muses. But he has a relatively well-paid and certainly well-respected position in his culture. He dreams of the women in America, yet he runs into a very beautiful and elegant woman on his journey who is young, single and very attracted to him. The grass-is-greener theme even rears its head by Dondup trying to block out live music that's right in front of him (thanks to the Monk with a dramnyen, which is a bit like a guitar) by playing western music on a boom box.

At the same time, the parallel story told by the monk features a young man with similar dreams who inadvertently escapes to an unknown area where he too meets a beautiful woman who is attracted to him. The woman's husband has also achieved "the other side of the fence" in his grass-is-greener dream, but with the arrival of the young man, it backfires on him. Achieving the greener grass also ends up backfiring on the young man in a way, and he seeks a return home.

It's important to remember that in Buddhism, these ideas are not presented in moralizing way, and they're not presented as something black and white. Hopes, desires and dreams are not considered bad things (and neither is attachment--the problems with such things are more matter-of-factly presented), and certainly, the grass could be greener somewhere else. Because of this, Travellers and Magicians writer/director Khyentse Norbu maintains appropriate degrees of ambiguity throughout the film. While doing so, he presents a story with important themes that is captivatingly told with beautiful cinematography and excellent performances. Don't miss this one.

I did not find this film preachy or disappointing. You're seeing a Bhutanese film. What exactly did you expect?? I thought it was hilarious, the characters were fantastic, the story is a classic in any culture. It is particularly poignant, however, in a culture that has so far been largely untouched by the 'advances' of the outside world. The scenery was beautiful, of course, but the shots, the cinematography was also outstanding. The humour was subtle and clever. Having a real story, and a good secondary story, does not make it preachy in my opinion. It's a coming of age story, it's a love story. 'Foreign' does not necessarily mean it's a great film, but in this case, I think it works.

I saw this well over a month ago, and loved it so dearly that I find it hard to review. I've already recommended this to a ton of friends in person, and two have already reported back that they enjoyed it. If you are reading my reviews, and resonating with the films that I've rated highly, I politely urge you to seek out this film.

Indeed, it makes me want to seek out Bhutan. I'm trying to figure out how to get my family there. Travelling there is trickier than one might imagine, as I understand it only so many slots are available, but you pay a one-price-for-your-whole-visit. Amazing.

And this is an amazing film, and easier to experience than Bhutan itself. The director is a lama incarnate, but he's studied at the Pratt Institute. The film is gorgeous, and evidently portends of Norbu's desire to launch a Bhutanese film industry. The scenery is a major star, as we have a road film with not too much traveling. Sweeping vistas keep the people in perspective, and their problems as well. This road movie has plenty of sitting, and story-telling, and in the latter another more ancient road "movie" is unfurled. The cinematography in the latter swirls.

Just see the film...

Also, evidently the actors and actresses here are all amateurs, but so well-cast and so well-coaxed. The forest hermit's wife has a beauty in her way that exceeds the beauty of her form. The winking wisdom of the story-telling monk I suspect mirrors Norbu's own role.

As a "religious" film, "Travelers and Magicians" made a believer out of this agnostic. It doesn't look away or impose illusions when viewing people, their desires and mistakes are embraced. This is a warm film, without ever being smothering.

Imbued with humor and humility, artful in scope and cinescope, this film gets you to contemplate your mores, rather than have someone else's dogmatically driven into you.

You are the journey you must take, make sure to visit Bhutan on your way. Even if only on this screen of dreams.

9/10

A friend of mine from Bhutan borrowed this movie to me. Yes "borrowed"... not given to me, after all it is such a lovely movie to add it on your collection. Though Bhutan is not known for movie making and all, but this will surely leave a question in your head and you are sure going to say..."WOW, NOT BAD AT ALL". I must say that this movie is far better than thousands of Bollywood movies. The direction is superb and the cinematic beauties of Bhutan added a lot of charismatic on this film. All the actors really acted well, realistic down to the core. I really love this movie, the way it unwinds the story, and the way the characters enter story is awesome. The little of humors here and there adds lots of value to it. And not to forget, the utterance of wisdoms by the monk are so realistic that one will surely illuminate his or her ignorance. A must watch movie for those who love "good movie". Thumps up and hats off to the team.

Khyentse Norbu gives us a simple film that is done with common people. It is the message that is important, not the stars.

Two men go on a journey. They are both after the same thing - dreaming of a better life. One, unfortunately feels that his better life can be had with another man's wife, and the result is tragic. The other dreams of going to America, where he can make more money picking apples that he can as a Government official in Bhutan.

We all search and dream for a better life, and while we are dreaming, we miss the life that is going on all around us at the moment. We focus so much on what could be, we do not appreciate what is.

Norbu's message is a simple Buddhist one. Live for the moment. This story is a perfect illustration and a joy to see.