The Cinema Committee at Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation will screen the Bhutanese film Travelers and Magicians, directed by Khyentse Norbu, tomorrow, Tuesday. The film will be shown at 6:30 p.m. in the cinema hall and again at 8:00 p.m. in an open-air screening at the Foundation’s headquarters in Jabal Amman.
The film follows Dondhup, a young government employee recently assigned to a remote village connected to the capital by a narrow dirt road. A bus travels to the capital only once a week. Dondhup dreams of emigrating to the United States in search of wealth and opportunity, even if it means taking humble jobs such as apple picking. After a friend promises to help him secure a visa, he is summoned to the embassy for an immigration interview. Carrying a small suitcase and wearing a T-shirt that reads “I Love New York,” he sets off for the capital, only to miss the bus and continue his journey on foot.
Along the way, he encounters several fellow travelers: a kind apple seller, a Buddhist monk carrying a traditional musical instrument, and an elderly farmer traveling with his beautiful young daughter. As they journey together, the monk learns about their desires and aspirations—especially Dondhup’s obsession with emigrating—and begins telling them a story. The film then unfolds as a “story within a story,” skillfully weaving together the two narratives.
The monk’s tale centers on two brothers. The elder son is impulsive and dissatisfied with his life, while the younger is responsible, calm, and devoted to helping his father. During a trip into the forest, the elder brother drinks heavily, attempts to ride an untrained horse, and is thrown off, injuring his leg. He is rescued by an elderly woodcutter and his much younger wife. While recovering in their home, he begins an illicit relationship with the wife, and together they plot to kill the husband. The husband escapes, and the wife drowns while attempting to follow him across a river. Eventually, the young man awakens from his drunken stupor, revealing that the entire episode was merely a dream.
At the end of the film, the bus finally arrives, but there is room for only two passengers. The travelers begin selflessly offering their seats to one another, including Dondhup, who is racing against time to obtain his visa but has also developed feelings for the farmer’s daughter. The director leaves the ending intentionally open.
Norbu makes excellent use of Bhutan’s unspoiled natural landscapes, which help convey the film’s spiritual and philosophical message. One-character remarks that “the grass is not necessarily greener elsewhere,” suggesting that people should not seek happiness in distant places when peace and contentment already surround them.
The film’s main storyline is adapted from the Japanese writer Yasunari Kawabata’s story The Dancing Girl of Izu, while the tale of the two brothers is rooted in Buddhist folklore.
Although Travelers and Magicians can be classified as a road movie, some critics regard it as a unique cinematic work that functions as a moral fable.
Released in 2003, the film was the first Bhutanese production in which all technical and artistic processes were completed within Bhutan itself. The Himalayan kingdom, located between India and China, had limited infrastructure at the time, including dirt roads, basic communications, and no cinemas. Norbu had previously directed The Cup (1999) and later directed Vara: A Blessing (2013).
The film received widespread critical acclaim for its humanistic themes, its Buddhist philosophical influences, and Norbu’s remarkable ability to work with largely non-professional actors drawn from the village where the film was shot. Critics also praised his skillful direction and artistic vision despite the film’s modest production resources.