Great Journeys In Little Spaces: Buddhist Matters In Khyentse Norbu’s Travellers And Magicians

Abstract

Travellers and Magicians (2003) is a road movie incorporating elements of neorealism. It was directed by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Norbu (1961-present) and filmed in its entirety in Bhutan and with an all-Bhutanese cast that, soon after its release, attracted world-wide attention. In its visually unassuming style, the film succeeds in tracing the delusional trajectories of human desire from a Buddhist perspective. The intimate space created by the film’s focus on a few characters, its slow narrative pace, minimalistic dialogue, and arresting yet unembellished mise-en-scène, succeeds in luring viewers into a comfortable dream-like space that incites.