Pawo Choyning Dorji (Dzongkha: དཔའ་བོ་ཆོས་དབྱིངས་རྡོ་རྗི།; born 23 June 1983) is an Indian-born Bhutanese filmmaker and photographer. His feature directorial debut Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2019) was nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards.
Pawo Choyning Dorji | |
|---|---|
དཔའ་བོ་ཆོས་དབྱིངས་རྡོ་རྗི། | |
| Born | (1983-06-23) 23 June 1983 (age 39) Darjeeling, India |
| Alma mater | Lawrence University |
| Occupation | Filmmaker, photographer |
| Spouse | Stephanie Lai (m. 2009) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Stan Lai (father-in-law) |
The son of a diplomat, Dorji was born in Darjeeling, India.[1] He attended Kodaikanal International School during the time he lived in India and Yangchenphug Higher Secondary School back in Bhutan. He graduated with a degree in government and international relations from Lawrence University in the United States in 2006. He then completed a qualification in Buddhist philosophy at the Sarah Buddhist Institute in 2009.[2]
As a photographer, Dorji has contributed to publications such as VICE, Esquire, and Life. He has authored a number of photography essay books.[3] His third book Light of the Moon was shot over the course of five years.[2]
Dorji met Buddhist master and filmmaker Khyentse Norbu in 2006 and discovered filmmaking through working with him, first as director's assistant on Vara: A Blessing (2013) and then as producer of Hema Hema (2016).[4]
Dorji filmed his feature directorial debut over the course of two months at a remote school in the Himalayan village of Lunana. Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom had its world premiere at the 63rd BFI London Film Festival.[5] The film won Audience Choice and Best of the Fest award at the 2020 Palm Springs International Film Festival.[6] It was initially intended to be Bhutan's second submission for Best International Feature at the 93rd Academy Awards,[7] but due to an error was resubmitted the following year, becoming Bhutan's first Oscar nomination.[8] Dorji responded saying "The most magical part of this is it was so unexpected... I hope it inspires Bhutanese and Himalayan filmmakers."[9]
Dorji married Taiwanese actress and producer Fanyun "Stephanie" Lai, daughter of playwright Stan Lai, in 2009.[10][11] They have a daughter and a son. The family split their time between Taiwan, Bhutan, and India.[12][9]
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Other | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Vara: A Blessing | Assistant | Stills photographer | |||
| 2016 | Hema Hema | Yes | ||||
| 2019 | Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom | Yes | Yes | Yes | Feature directorial debut Nominated — Academy Award for Best International Feature Film |