Photo: Agent of Happiness takes a close look at how happiness is surveyed in the Kingdom of Bhutan. Photo courtesy of Film Movement / Provided by Foundry Comm with permission.
Agent of Happiness, the new documentary from Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó, may be based in the Kingdom of Bhutan, but the film is offering a poetic and powerful statement about happiness throughout the globe. The movie, which is now playing in theaters, tracks the results of a most unique government policy in the high-altitude country of Bhutan. It’s there, amongst the Himalayas, that a Gross National Happiness is calculated thanks to intrepid agents who travel from community to community asking questions about people’s current moods and attitudes.
One of these agents is named Amber Gurung, who treks kilometers to check on people’s contentment, according to press notes. As he builds data for a happiness census, he also needs to ask himself that most pivotal of questions: Is he happy as well?
Recently Bhattarai and Zurbó exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox to talk all things happiness. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style. The two directors answered jointly, except when noted.
Generally speaking, do you believe we are living in happy times?
We definitely don’t live in happy times. Having said that, it’s hard to find instances in history where the entiretyofhumanity was living in prosperity in one given time. However, we do feel that the strengthofpeople comes from their interconnectedness and compassion towards one another. This is something we learnt from the characters in our film. Our individual contentment is dependent on the wellbeingofour community because… we can’t ignore thehappinessof our neighbors, be [it] your next door neighbor or your neighbor in the next country.
Were there unique challenges filming in the remote regionsofBhutan?
It’s always a challenge filming in Bhutan becauseofthe remote mountainous terrain and the Himalayan serpentine roads, which keep getting blocked becauseof the unpredictable monsoon rains. We also had to adjust to the rhythmoflife in rural Bhutan where mostofour characters are based. People don’t follow fixed schedules and timings, so finding time to film with them was sometimes quite difficult. This required a lotofliving together and building friendships with our characters and learning to wait so that we are adjusting to them rather than them adjusting to us.
Do you feel thishappinesssurvey actually provides insight into our mental health?
Yes, we do feel.
The researchofhappinessand subjective wellbeing became a popular science in the ’80s. Bhutan’s Gross NationalHappinessIndex and methodology is just oneofthe many waysofmeasuring a society’s progress not only with material and economic terms but rather in a holistic way.
The actofsurveying is an actofcommunication by the government with its people. The very act itself is oneofcare. However, quantifyinghappinessfor a survey is not an easy exercise, but we do believe that people are able to assess and evaluate their life and their mental health on a given scale that gives information for the government to improve and inspire their policies as the questions cover factors like loneliness, spirituality, positive emotions and life satisfaction.
What was it like to follow Amber Gurung? Why him?
When we first met Amber we were struck by how goodofa listener he was while doing the survey with people. He also had a self-deprecating humor and when I (Arun) realized that he comes from the same ethnic Nepali community like me, we could connect on so many levels. After spending a lotoftime with him, we found out that he is in searchoflove and actually is very lonely. It was ironic that his day job was to measure people’shappiness,but deep inside he was unhappy. This search for love was intertwined with his lackofcitizenship despite being a fourth-generation Bhutanese. His beautiful personality layered with his struggles as a second-class citizen, but also his strength to cope with adversity, were someofthe reasons that made us want to have him as a main protagonistof the film.
Is measuringhappinessan individualized pursuit? Is there one answer for everyone?
Happinessis not a pursuit but a wayoflife. Probably that’s why it’s impossible to measure individualhappiness,but it’s possible to indicate the direction in which the collectivehappinessofthe society is moving. That way, aiming forhappinessis still a noble pursuit, although there might not be … one answer for everyone.
Are you happy?
BHATTARAI: I would say at this stage in my life, I have found contentment despite happy and sad moments that keep taking turns.
ZURBÓ: I would say the experienceofcreating the film together with our protagonists and creative team made my life much happier and meaningful.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Agent of Happiness, directed by Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó, is now playing in movie theaters. Click here for more information.
