Investigating the Utopic and the Truthful Sense of Contentment within a Country – BRAZILIAN PRESS // O maior jornal brasileiro fora do Brasil

By Roger Costa
THE AGENT OF HAPPINESS
Take a deep breath and look into yourself. Make a personal balance of your living experience. How would you rate your happiness? Your satisfaction overall? How do you rate the opposite of those? How much do you feel depressed or lonely?
One of the most acclaimed docs coming out of Sundance this year is also one of the oddest- and indeed one of the most humane.

Following two agents wandering the Himalayas and some urban areas of Bhutan on a mission for the Government, this unique, funny and heartbreaking, tender and spiritually-driven portrait of a nation facing evolution while living in the shadows of the past and its traditions is an admirable meditation on human values and common basic needs such as love, care and affection.
Throughout the whole process of observing the journey and survey taking place around the remote area, one thing is constantly evident and brought to surface: it is a reminder of our humanity in spite of a chaotic world demanding and pressuring with its interests.

Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at both San Francisco International Film Festival and Margaret Mead Film Festival, Directors Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó centers the narrative on Amber, a lonely man taking care of his ailing mother while leading the survey with his best friend. The experience is seen through his eyes, but the directors dig up his life to create a parallel narrative, capturing with enormous sensibility his attempts to make the best of life- including his tireless quest for a wife.
While he collects personal information from his fellows, the camera has a thing for Amber and he responds to it very well: there is a perfect chemistry, trust-based connection and reliability between the main subject and the camera (the directors) that elevate the whole process to a state of precious, pure naturalism. His story contrasts with the nation’s as they are evolving together.

As the survey goes on, measuring the level of happiness and satisfaction around the country (in their attempt to update the National Happiness Index), we are introduced to the political struggle of the country related to their identity and civic acceptance, as well as their expectations and desires.
While most of the testimonies demonstrate a humble and joyful nation, where people are happy enough just for the fact of owning a cow or having a roof to sleep under, there are some marked by sorrow and trauma, making it a relatable true story about the human condition.
Gorgeously shot and immersively capturing the grand beauty of Bhutan, it is a must-see documentary about the spirit of humanity- easily reflected through Amber’s achingly beautiful mountain dance.
(A Film Movement Release. Opens Friday, November 1 at Quad Cinema. Directors in attendance for Q&A. Go to www.quadcinema.com for details)