Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
A reluctant Bhutanese teacher discovers purpose, belonging, and a deeper idea of happiness in an impossibly remote Himalayan village.
Overview
A modern teacher's journey leads him to the heart of the Himalayas, where he discovers the true meaning of education and community.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- gentle
- warm
- quietly funny
- quiet evening
- reflective afternoon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a gentle, charming, culturally specific humanist drama elevated by its majestic landscape and warm community portrait.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ugyen arrives in Lunana resentful of his remote assignment and gradually changes through relationships with the villagers and children.
The villagers' warmth and spiritual strength challenge Ugyen's assumptions that comfort, technology, and a career abroad are necessary for happiness.
The eight-day trek and high-altitude village make Lunana's glacial Himalayan environment a defining dramatic force.
The film emphasizes Lunana's vast Himalayan vistas and glacial surroundings alongside its simple school and village life.
Films like Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, and why
The Story of the Weeping Camel
gentle rural drama centered on an outsider discovering community values and contentment
The School of Life
warm, culturally specific coming-of-age drama shaped by remote landscapes, education, and emotional transformation
The Chorus
quietly funny fish-out-of-water story about an idealistic teacher working in an underserved rural community
The Straight Story
humanist drama where an unfamiliar environment and communal bonds challenge a protagonist's assumptions about happiness
Movie Details
- Director
- Pawo Choyning Dorji
- Release Date
- 2019-11-16
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (237)
Cast
- Sherab Dorji
- Ugyen Norbu Lhendup
- Keldon Lhamo Gurung
- Pem Zam
- Chimi Dem
- Kunzang Wangdi
- Tshering Dorji
- Sangay Lham
- Oriana Chen
- Dophu
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom about?
- A reluctant Bhutanese teacher discovers purpose, belonging, and a deeper idea of happiness in an impossibly remote Himalayan village.
- What is Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom as slow, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom.
- What did critics think of Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a gentle, charming, culturally specific humanist drama elevated by its majestic landscape and warm community portrait.
- Which films are like Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom?
- Films with a similar feel include The Story of the Weeping Camel, The School of Life, The Chorus, and The Straight Story.
- How long is Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom?
- Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom?
- In United States, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
