Travellers and Magicians

Rooted in Bhutanese folklore and with the country's stunning scenery as a backdrop, this film tells the parallel tales of two romantic couples.

Dondup is a young man searching for something more in life, with a dream of emigrating to America. On the road, he meets a monk who tells him the story of Tashi, a dreamer much like himself. Just like Tashi, Dondup falls in love with a beautiful young woman, and soon starts to question if the big move to America is the right choice for him after all.

Travellers and Magicians was the first feature film to be shot entirely in Bhutan.

Oslo Cinematheque

Director

Khyentse Norbu (b. 1961) is one of Bhutan's most prominent filmmakers, and also known as the third incarnation of the reformer Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. His debut The Cup (1999) became an international sensation. When Bernardo Bertolucci made Little Buddha in the early 90s, Norbu was hired as a consultant.