Feature film
Rewaa
Tshering Wangyel · 1999
Synopsis
Rewaa (Hope): two friends, both students, fall in love with the same girl. The film, a romantic drama in Dzongkha, weaves songs into the plot, among them what is regarded as the first musical number in Bhutanese cinema.
Context
The director wrote the screenplay himself, produced the film and handled its camera, sound and lighting; three of his friends, who played the main roles, each contributed about five thousand dollars to the budget. The first film in Dzongkha to find its audience, it came out at a time when only a dozen films had been shot in Bhutan, and the arrival of television, the same year, accompanied the growth of this production.
Who it is for
For seeing the film that launched the film industry in Bhutan, between student romance and songs.
Prizes and reception
According to one critic, it was with this film that the commercial industry of Bhutanese cinema was born.