Film from Bhutan

My friend and I went to the Friends of Film Friday at the Doris Duke theater tonight to see the first in a Bhutan film festival, DRUK GE GOEM (THE GUEST), Director: Kinley Dorji. Bhutan, 2006, 103 mins. The director's wife wrote the screenplay and starred, and other relatives took parts--saves on costs!

"While on a trekking tour in Bhutan, Michael, a New Yorker, is separated from his group and injured in a [foggy!] forest. While the tour company, the army, and locals search for him, a yak herder girl named Tshomo—who has never met a foreigner before—comes to the rescue. Their attempt to communicate with each other is amusing yet poignant. The two fall in love, but when the authorities and Tshomo's angry uncle discover Michael, he must return to New York. Months later, Tshomo's uncle wants her to marry a young man from their village and the auspicious date is fixed—but will Michael return?"

There was a speaker, Tsewang Nidup, who is giving guided tours of "the Dragon's Gift: The Sacred Art of Bhutan" exhibition at the museum, who told us so mnay fascinating things about the development of film (since 2000) in Bhutan.

It was very good--the foreign actor being the worst among them, the Bhutanese were naturals! A wonderful experience!

Another Movie Day

On a clouding-up, sprinkling-rain day, how nice to escape to a movie theater for a fun diversion: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Gives a girl hope, that movie does, and the lingerie, as well as the men (one of whom designs the lingerie), are enough to make one long for the late 1930s in London. With popcorn.

And for dinner, a GREEN salad (and Guinness): Mediterranean Salad with edamame.
torn romaine lettuce, thinly sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, edamame, slivers of red onion. Dressing: rice vinegar, olive oil, oregano, black pepper and garlic powder. Toss and and serve with olive bread like we did!

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Torrential rains forecast yet again, strong winds---what better place to ride them out than the movie theater. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is marvelously filmed, and I am delighted the caregivers are given so much space and understanding. Even the one cradling Jean-Do in the swimming pool.....I do hope people honor the caregivers as a result! The movie is hard going, even knowing the book well, very hard going. Nothing is romanticized, and the respect to a weakened person is wonderful to see. But it leaves the day with a sober overcast, to match the sky here. I am so glad I went to see it--me and three other people in the theater. It is spare enough, like the book, for us to see everyone around the helpless person, and, hopefully, to be more aware!

The perfect antidote to T is for Trespass (Sue Grafton), with its portrait of a hurtful, greedy, dishonest caregiver. Trying to write a book review with the audiobook is hard, but there are 382 people on the library waiting list! But I see that a hard copy will cost a full $27! Maybe later.....

I still twist around in "caregiver re-entry," the central fact of my existence. Yes, I am trying to write an essay on this, too. Here, in beautiful downtown paradise, I feel so strongly the struggle to "be in the world." Part of the difficulty is that I don't know anyone who sees or understands that struggle, and how far it is to get back.

Jean-Dominique Bauby gave me courage!

American Gangster

The book, American Gangster, was my plane reading on the way over, so had to see the Denzel Washington/Russell Crowe movie at the $1.00 movie theater. Sobering as the book, but a really good movie! The open air bar in the complex where the theater is looks delicious, but what was really delicious was the mahi-mahi/short-grain brown rice/salad plate lunch at Yoshi fast-food. Complemented by fresh salmon poke from the local Safeway for dinner (rain started again, so bagged Punahou Festival)---WILL go tomorrow.

In other food news, this is the papaya and apple-bananas I've started with in the fruit department. Veggies are fabulous, and the water is so wonderful I am in awe--how good the tea tastes, how soft my skin is! Now to add some ocean water to the mix!