At one point on their journey, Pema and Karma pass by a village where another woman accused of adultery is forced to shoot an arrow at a bullseye in order to prove her innocence. The film does have something to say about patriarchal Nepalese culture, in which women like Pema are obliged to defend their virtue against accusations by their husbands. There are perhaps too many things left unsaid in Shambhala, although certain images, such as the stunning shots of Pema walking alone as the Himalayas stretch out far into the distance, manage to speak for themselves. The two begin to grow closer and it’s possible a real love affair is budding between them, but Bham is much more suggestive about it than explicit. Pema decides to go looking for him, with Karma accompanying her on a long and winding trek through the snow-capped surrounding mountains. Perhaps too close, because she becomes pregnant, and a rumor spreads around the village that Ram Sir is the father, prompting Tashi to abandon his trip back home and set off for parts unknown. She’s forced to take care of the undisciplined Dawa and winds up getting close with his schoolteacher, Ram Sir (Karma Shakya). It’s a beautiful and stirring moment that arrives far too late in a narrative that takes plenty of time to unravel.Īfter happily marrying Tashi and his two bros, Pema moves into their home to cook and clean, but soon finds herself alone after Tashi leaves on a long trading voyage to Lhasa. There’s a scene late in the film in which Pema - who still hasn’t tracked down Tashi - plays guitar while Karma, who’s a practicing Buddhist, sings along. Those traditions can be fascinating to watch, with cinematographer Aziz Zhambakiyiv documenting them in extended takes and lush widescreen compositions, his camera roving back and forth to capture an entire ceremony in a single shot. If it weren’t for the digital watch hidden under Tashi’s ancestral garb, or the fact that the feisty young Dawa wants to grow up and become an airline pilot one day, the drama could have taken place anytime during the last few centuries, so much is it steeped in traditions that seem to have remained unchanged. It’s therefore unfortunate that Bham, whose technical skills are evident throughout, couldn’t turn the material into something more accessible, and it’s hard to see Shambhala reaching much of a public following its competition premiere in Berlin.ĭuring the film’s more memorable moments - and there are a few - it eschews regular storytelling altogether to focus on the customs and rituals of Pema’s people, who live in villages up to 6,000 meters above sea level, with no real connections to the modern world.

There’s enough plot here to make for compelling drama, or perhaps something akin to Michelangelo Antonioni’s L’Avventura, which this film in some ways recalls when Pema sets out on a long and existential quest to find her missing husband. The hitch is that Tashi is actually one of three husbands in a polyandrous marriage that also includes his brothers Karma (Sonam Topden) and Dawa (Karma Wangyal Gurung), although for now Pema is only with Tashi. Screenwriters: Min Bahadur Bham, Abinash Bikram ShahĪt once intimate and epic, and often more ethnographic than dramatic, Shambhala takes us to the Himalayas to follow a young bride, Pema (Thinely Lhamo), whose husband, Tashi (Tenzin Dalha), leaves her behind for several months and then winds up disappearing altogether.

The information provided was correct at the time of writing.Venue: Berlin Film Festival (Competition)Ĭast: Thinley Lhamo, Sonam Topden, Tenzin Dalha, Karma Wangyal Gurung, Karma Shakya, Loten Namling NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. There, she reconnects with her adventurous side, learns to let go, and finds new love.” “After her fiancé leaves her before their wedding, Madeline goes to Niagara Falls to honeymoon without him. Premium Plus is the same plan but with no ads (save for limited exclusions), along with allowing users to download select titles and watch them offline and providing access to your local NBC channel live 24/7. Peacock’s Premium account provides access to over 80,000+ hours of TV, movies, and sports, including current NBC and Bravo Shows, along with 50 always-on channels.

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