Awards and festivals

Film description

Little Tsheten and a boy her age, Sonam, are cousins growing up in a small village. They are good friends, and their lonely parents decide that for the sake of the family the children should one day get married, in accordance with the ancient local tradition. But when Sonam grows up and leaves for college, he becomes aware the dangers of marrying one’s close relative.

"The Golden Cousin" was a huge hit in Bhutan, using the convention of a melodrama to raise an important social issue. It combines the stylistics of a tale and distant inspirations from Bollywood cinema with a realistic convention. The film avoids easy moral judgments, portraying the entire complexity of the characters’ predicament. The plot is complemented by lyrical songs, based on traditional Bhutanese melodies.

Jagoda Murczyńska