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Happiness

  • 2013
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
306
YOUR RATING
Happiness (2013)
DocumentaryDramaFamily

In 1999, King Jigme Wangchuck approved the use of television and Internet throughout the largely undeveloped nation of Bhutan, assuring the masses that rapid development was synonymous with ... Read allIn 1999, King Jigme Wangchuck approved the use of television and Internet throughout the largely undeveloped nation of Bhutan, assuring the masses that rapid development was synonymous with the "gross national happiness" of his country, a term he himself coined. Director Thomas B... Read allIn 1999, King Jigme Wangchuck approved the use of television and Internet throughout the largely undeveloped nation of Bhutan, assuring the masses that rapid development was synonymous with the "gross national happiness" of his country, a term he himself coined. Director Thomas Balmès's film Happiness begins at the end of this process as Laya, the last remaining villa... Read all

  • Director
    • Thomas Balmès
  • Writer
    • Thomas Balmès
  • Stars
    • Peyangki
    • Kinley Om
    • Ap Kinley Dorji
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    306
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Thomas Balmès
    • Writer
      • Thomas Balmès
    • Stars
      • Peyangki
      • Kinley Om
      • Ap Kinley Dorji
    • 2User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 4 nominations

    Photos

    Happiness (2013)
    Happiness (2013)
    Happiness (2013)
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    Top cast

    Edit
    Peyangki
    • Self
    Kinley Om
    • Self - Peyangki's uncle
    Ap Kinley Dorji
    Aum Thinley Dolma
    Sangay Thinley
    Rinchen
    Leki
    Pyago
    Choki
    • Self - Peyangki's sister
    Chencho Thinley
    Namgay Dorji
    Jigme Singye Wangchuk
    • Self - King of Bhutan 1972-2006
    • (archive footage)
    • Director
      • Thomas Balmès
    • Writer
      • Thomas Balmès
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
    7.4
    Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom

    Storyline

    Edit

    User reviews2

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    A troubling subtext
    This is an interesting snapshot of life in rural Bhutan as television and internet are about to be introduced for the first time. Notable is the subtext of abuse - it's clear the protagonist's sister is being sexually exploited at her workplace, a club where she's employed as a dancing girl, and where the girls also have to live and aren't allowed to leave the building. The dance shows the girls are forced to put on are so rudimentary that it's clear they're just a means for male punters to inspect the wares.

    Even more troublingly, a lot of evidence also suggests Peyangki is being abused at the monastery. As well as telling his mother that the Lama beats him, he's also shown sharing a bed with an older novice who tells Peyangki he isn't interested in women and seems to really enjoy sharing a bed with him. A couple of scenes later we see an uncharacteristically sullen Peyangki ask his mother if he can leave the monastery or at least transfer to a different monastery, and he becomes very distressed when she says no. He's especially keen not to spend the night at the monastery.
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    • wolfstar_imdb
    • Apr 9, 2022

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 17, 2014 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • United States
      • Finland
    • Official sites
      • ITVS International (United States)
      • Making Movies Oy (Finland)
    • Language
      • Dzongkha
    • Also known as
      • The Himalayan Boy and the TV Set
    • Filming locations
      • Thimphu, Bhutan
    • Production companies
      • ARTE
      • ITVS International
      • Making Movies Oy
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 20 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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