Coming to Independent Lens: Happiness
A 9-year-old monk has never before left his Bhutanese village perched high in the Himalayas, where the nearest road is a three-day walk. When connected to electricity for the first time, he treks to the nearest city in search of a television, in a story of the bittersweet seduction of technology and progress.
Previews + Extras
Happiness: A Yak for a Big TV
S16 E5 - 1m 53s
In this scene from the Independent Lens documentary Happiness, the uncle of 9-year-old monk Peyangki talks with other villagers about his plans to sell one of his yaks in order to have enough money to buy a television set. A venture to the big city looms ahead, where “they have different kinds of TVs, big and small.” Will TV become a babysitter for some parents?
Happiness: Sneaking Off to Do Archery
S16 E5 - 57s
In this scene from the Independent Lens documentary Happiness, 9-year-old monk Peyangki shoots arrows with some friends at an archery range, and then tells him how archery is actually banned at the monastery. He seems to long for a more “normal” way of life.
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