PHORPE (THE CUP)
Bhutan/Australia, 1999, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Khyentse Norbu.
The Cup was very popular on its first release in 1999. It was the first film from Bhutan, a collaboration with finance and technical help from Australia.
The story is simple, was directed by a Buddhist monk and featured a number of monks in the cast. The focus is on a monastery, the abbot and his assistant, the arrival of two young students. The Bhuddists are refugees from Tibet in the aftermath of the exile of the Dalai Lama.
The situation is the World Cup, the enthusiasm of the monks and their playing football, the abbot and his assistant not being able to understand the game. Some of the very young monks want to watch the final on television and arrange for the hiring of a satellite dish from an Indian villager to watch the game. However, there are difficulties in raising the money, transporting the dish, setting it up and making it work – but all with a happy ending.
There is a very strong humanity in this film as well as the possibility of looking at life in a Buddhist monastery in great detail. The director went on to make a second film, The Travelling Magician, a far more ambitious film again about monks in the Indian mountains, life in the village, the attempts to move away from the village to the city.
1.The popularity of the film? Awards? Worldwide interest?
2.A film from Bhutan, the Australian help? The mountain locations, the beauty of the Indian and Bhutan countryside, the mountains? The musical score?
3.The picture of life in the monastery, the range of monks, their ages? Their shaved heads, their robes? Their life in the monastery, obeying the abbot and his assistant, the rules, breaking the rules? Akin to a boarding school? The film’s attention to the ritual detail of bells, community gatherings, prayer, meals, recreation …?
4.The football theme, the monks and their enjoyment of soccer?
5.The World Cup, France, the monks and their interest? Their knowledge of players and the game? The abbot and assistant and not knowing the details? The desire to watch the World Cup on television?
6.The young monk, his skill in finding the money, persuading a range of monks to give the money for the hire of the satellite dish? The newcomers and their slow collaboration, helping the young boy?
7.The money, the Indian, his being demanding about the money, his having custody of the dish? Getting the extra money, helping them – and giving directions where the dish should face?
8.The transportation of the dish, installing it on the roof? The difficulties? The direction in which it should face?
9.The transmission, success, the enjoyment of the game, the abbot, his assistant, everybody watching?
10.An entertaining blend of a religious tradition, its serious attitudes, detachment with the love for sport, entertainment and modern technology?
