The Monk and the Gun has a very evocative title, but the Monk (Tandin Wangchuk) and his quest for a gun is only one interconnected story in the film. The film takes place in 2006 when Bhutan is holding mock elections to prepare for their eventual first democratic elections. In the town of Ura however, the upcoming change to democracy seems to be making life harder for everyone, not easier. The story follows a few characters as they struggle with the transition.
For what could be a heavy subject, there’s a lot of light-hearted humor. Slight spoilers, but in the end it is a feel-good story despite setting itself up to potentially be a tragedy. It’s a fun tale that spotlights a part of the world most people probably know very little about.