The first major feature film based in Bhutan, Khyentse Norbu's Travellers and Magicians is about the Land of the Thunder Dragon as it is about character and narrative. Secluded in the eastern Himalayas, the tiny Buddhist kingdom proclaims its priority of Gross National Happiness (GNH); indeed, it ranked first in Asia and #8 in the world in a 2006 global survey measuring national happiness. By law, the Bhutanese people are compelled to be happy and to maintain their culture by wearing traditional clothing. And no one is more qualified to capture Bhutan's essence on film than Norbu.

Recognized as an incarnation of a high lama in Tibetan Buddhism, Norbu originally studied as a monk before studying politics and filmmaking in the U.S. After serving as Bernando Bertolucci's consultant on Little Buddha, he made his directorial debut in The Cup (about Tibetan monks obsessed with World Cup soccer). For Norbu, filmmaking has become his form of thangka painting—using his native landscape and untrained actors to create humanistic vignettes of life in Bhutan.

Travellers and Magicians begins with bored Dondup (Tsewang Dandup) as a small village government official desperately seeking to immigrate to America—a land of movies and cool girls. Initially obnoxious, Dondup represents a character in transition; while he wears a traditional denim gho, he also sports white Nikes, wears an I "love" NY t-shirt, decorates his room with clashing posters (Che Guevara, John Lennon, and a bikini babe), and jams to American rock on his battery powered boombox.

Dondup finally gets permission to travel to Bhutan capital Thimphu for a religious ceremony (from where he plans to flee to the U.S.). Just missing the bus, he begins hiking and meets up with others: an apple seller (Ap Dochu), a monk (Sonam Kinga), and Sonam (Sonam Lhamo) and her father (Dasho Adab Sangye). Sensing Dondup's restlessness, the monk soon offers a remedy by telling a cautionary allegorical story along the way about another soul who also wanted to live in his "dreamland."

Buddhist concepts regarding the nature of true happiness and impermanence are woven into the cinematic thangka, as the monk's tale about how restless Tashi (Lhakpa Dorji) enters a magical world intertwines with Dondup's fate. It's to Norbu's credit that the final destination remains ambiguous since this movie is best savored during the aftermath.

Considering the remoteness of the location and its neo-realistic elements, the production values are striking. Of course, it's difficult to imagine taking an inferior photograph within Bhutan's borders. It's notable how Norbu freely offers an insider view to the heart of his native land, educating the viewer about the true nature of the Bhutanese people. For those who think that practitioners of the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism live in a strictly esoteric world, you'll find a great deal of humor accompanies their pragmatic wisdom. Given that the Bhutan government limits the number of tourists allowed to visit annually, Travellers and Magicians offers an insightful and worthwhile preview.