A Yak in the Classroom

The third film featured in this year's Beyond Babel Festival's three screenings is a movie called Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom.

This film will be introduced by Dr. Khawla Badwan (Reader in TESOL and Applied Linguistics at Manchester Metropolitan University)..

Synopsis: A young teacher in modern Bhutan, Ugyen (Sherab Dorji), neglects his duties while planning to go to Australia to become a singer. As a reprimand, his superiors exile him to the most remote school in the world, in a village called Lunana. After an arduous 8-day trek, Ugyen finds himself far from his westernized comforts. In Lunana, there is no electricity, no textbooks, not even a blackboard. Though poor, the villagers warmly welcome their new teacher, but he faces the daunting task of teaching the village children without any supplies. He wants to quit and go home, but he begins to learn of the hardship in the lives of the beautiful children he teaches, and begins to be transformed through the amazing spiritual strength of the villagers..

"Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom" is the first film from Bhutan to receive an Oscar nomination..

This screening is supported by the Screen Media Network Research Group at Manchester Metropolitan University.

The three screenings in the program will have an exclusive session for schools in the morning.