Happiness

2014 1h 20m EN

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 8

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Peyangki is a dreamy and solitary eight-year-old monk living in Laya, a Bhutanese village perched high in the Himalayas. Soon the world will come to him: the village is about to be connected to electricity, and the first television will flicker on before Peyangki's eyes.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Peyangki
Himself
Kinley Om
Himself, Peyangki's uncle
Ap Kinley Dorji
Aum Thinley Dolma
Sangay Thinley
Rinchen
Leki
Pyago

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Thomas Balmès
Writers: Thomas Balmès
Languages: Dzongkha
Countries: Finland, France, Bhutan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

80 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 12 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Finland, France, Bhutan.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Part of the "Happiness" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Thomas Balmès, shot by Thomas Balmès. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Peyangki and Kinley Om and Ap Kinley Dorji carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt3458776 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Thomas Balmès directs. Thomas Balmès behind the camera. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Finland, France, Bhutan. Dialogue in Dzongkha.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

180 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 12 years ago.
3International production across 3 countries: Finland, France, Bhutan.
4Part of the "Happiness" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
6Directed by Thomas Balmès, shot by Thomas Balmès. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Peyangki and Kinley Om and Ap Kinley Dorji carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt3458776 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 8 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.