Synopsis

Bhutan - A Search For Happiness

This move is part of collection Grand Prix V

It's said that Bhutan was forgotten by people but never by the Gods. The natives call this ancient mountain kingdom, crowded between Indian Assam and Chinese Tibet, the land of the Thunder Dragon. Wandering through a forgotten country in which people worship all living things is a story of happiness. Internal peace is valued here more than a craving for worldly pleasures, and harmony with nature is the supreme principle. A good king cares for the wealth of his people. Instead of Gross Domestic Product, he promotes Gross National Happiness. It's like a fairytale world. In its fragile perception of happiness, this small Himalayan kingdom has chosen to follow a strange path. Maybe, its the correct one.

Script, photography, direction: Pavol Barabáš
Editing: Matej Beneš
Music: Maok
Length: 33 min.
Year of production: 2008

The journey to Bhutan was a journey to a fairy tale. It was the search for the magic of the last kingdom that had been preserved on Earth also thanks to high mountains.
No human feet ever stood on their peaks reaching up to a height of 7500 meters. These are the highest virgin mountains on Earth. The people of Bhutan believe that their Gods are reigning on the mountains and so their good king did not allow them to enter mountains higher then 6000 meters. The mountain kingdom could keep its extraordinaire character thank to its isolation. You can feel everywhere the stopped time of the Middle Ages and the impressive Buddhism that impress you by fabulous tradition that cannot be found in other parts of the Himalayas. The transit through it is a gentle touch with almost virgin places protected by the distance, the elevation above sea-level and the weather...

The journey to Bhutan was a journey to a fairy tale. It was the search for the magic of the last kingdom that had been preserved on Earth also thanks to high mountains. No human feet ever stood on their peaks reaching up to a height of 7500 meters. These are the highest virgin mountains on Earth. The people of Bhutan believe that their Gods are reigning on the mountains and so their good king did not allow them to enter mountains higher then 6000 meters. The mountain kingdom could keep its extraordinaire character thank to its isolation. You can feel everywhere the stopped time of the Middle Ages and the impressive Buddhism that impress you by fabulous tradition that cannot be found in other parts of the Himalayas. The transit through it is a gentle touch with almost virgin places protected by the distance, the elevation above sea-level and the weather.

Filming location