Happiness (2013 film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Happiness

| image = Happiness (2014 film) poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Promotional poster

| director = Thomas Balmès

| producer = Thomas Balmès
Kaarle Aho
Juliette Guigon
Patrick Winocour

| writer = Thomas Balmès

| starring =

| music = British Sea Power

| cinematography = Thomas Balmès
Nina Bernfeld

| editing = Alex Cardon
Ronan Sinquin

| studio = Arte France
ITVS International
TBC Productions
Quark Films
Making Movies Oy

| distributor =

| released = {{Film date|2013|11||International Documentary Festival Amsterdam}}

| runtime = 80 minutes

| country = France
Finland

| language = English

}}

Happiness is a 2013 French-Finnish documentary film written, directed and produced by Thomas Balmès.{{cite web |date=17 January 2014 |title=Thomas Balmès, Happiness |url=http://www.screendaily.com/features/thomas-balms-happiness/5065491.article |access-date=April 14, 2014 |website=Screen Daily}}{{cite web |date=January 26, 2014 |title=Film Happiness shows 'invasive force' of TV on Bhutan village |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/film-happiness-shows-invasive-force-of-tv-on-bhutan-village-20140126-31gu5.html |access-date=April 14, 2014 |website=Sydney Morning Herald}} The film had its world premiere at International Documentary Festival Amsterdam in November 2013 and premiered in-competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on 17 January 2014.{{cite web |date=January 10, 2014 |title=Sundance 2014: World Cinema Documentary Competition |url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/sundance-2014-world-cinema-documentary-competition |access-date=January 18, 2014 |website=IndieWire}}{{cite web |date=December 4, 2013 |title=2014 Sundance Documentary competitions showcase Nick Cave, Internet paranoia and more |url=https://uproxx.com/hitfix/2014-sundance-documentary-competitions-showcase-nick-cave-internet-paranoia-and-more/ |access-date=April 14, 2014 |website=HitFix}} It won the Documentary World Cinema Cinematography Award at the festival.{{cite web |date=January 25, 2014 |title=Sundance: 'Whiplash' & 'Rich Hill' Win Grand Jury Awards; Dramatic Directing Goes To Cutter Hodierne For 'Fishing Without Nets' |url=https://deadline.com/2014/01/sundance-film-festival-winners-2014-awards-list-671058/ |access-date=January 26, 2014 |website=Deadline}}{{cite web |date=January 25, 2014 |title='Whiplash' Owns the 2014 Sundance Film Festival Awards Netting Two Top Prizes |url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/the-2014-sundance-film-festival-winners-as-they-come-in |access-date=January 26, 2014 |website=IndieWire}}

The film premiered at 2014 Thessaloniki Documentary Festival in Views of the World section, on 16 March 2014.{{cite web|title=16th TDF: Film Line-Up, FIPRESCI Jury and Sidebar Events (3/11/2014)|url=http://www.filmfestival.gr/default.aspx?lang=en-US&page=607&newsid=1945|access-date=12 April 2014|archive-date=21 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421051131/http://www.filmfestival.gr/default.aspx?lang=en-US&page=607&newsid=1945|url-status=dead}} It also premiered at 2014 San Francisco International Film Festival on 27 April 2014.{{cite web|title=SFIFF: Happiness (Thomas Balmes, France/Finland, 2013)|url=http://www.meetup.com/sf-asian-film/events/175739212/|access-date=12 April 2014}}

Synopsis

In 1999, when Jigme Singye Wangchuck authorized television and the Internet throughout Bhutan, it had a rapid impact on the country. The film follows events through the eyes of an eight year old monk named Peyangki, praying eagerly for a TV set in Laya, the last village in Bhutan to be connected to the internet and global media.

Reception

Happiness received generally positive reviews upon its premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Stephen Farber in his review for The Hollywood Reporter wrote of the film, "Striking images of a Himalayan mountain village invigorate this award-winning doc."{{cite web |last=Farber |first=Stephen |date=February 6, 2014 |title=Happiness: Sundance Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/happiness-sundance-review-676334 |access-date=April 14, 2014 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}} Dan Nailen of Salt Lake Magazine criticized the film by saying, "Happiness is far from perfect, and is somewhat predictable in its view that technology doesn't have the answers for a poor remote village," but ultimately adds, "Still, the joy of watching Peyangki mature as a monk while keeping his playful spirit is undeniable, and the film offers a glimpse into a world rarely seen by Westerners. It's well worth the time spent delving into Peyangki's world."{{Cite journal|journal=Salt Lake Magazine|date=Jan 20, 2014|title=Sundance Review: Happiness|url=http://saltlakemagazine.com/blog/2014/01/20/sundance-review-happiness/|access-date=April 14, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421082003/http://saltlakemagazine.com/blog/2014/01/20/sundance-review-happiness/|archive-date=April 21, 2014}}

Accolades

class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:1em auto;"
Year ! Award ! Category ! Recipient ! Result
rowspan="4"\| 2014 \| rowspan="2"\| Sundance Film Festival \| World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary \| Thomas Balmès \| {{nom}}
Cinematography Award: World Cinema Documentary \| Thomas Balmès and Nina Bernfeld \| {{won}}
rowspan="2"\| Sheffield International Documentary Festival \|Sheffield Youth Jury Award - Special Mention{{cite web\|title=2014 Award Winners\|url=https://sheffdocfest.com/articles/220-2014-award-winners\|access-date=29 December 2014\|archive-date=1 July 2014\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701122959/https://sheffdocfest.com/articles/220-2014-award-winners\|url-status=dead}} \| Thomas Balmès \|{{won}}
Sheffield Youth Jury Award \| Thomas Balmès \|{{nom}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:1em auto;"

Year

! Award

! Category

! Recipient

! Result

rowspan="4"| 2014

| rowspan="2"| Sundance Film Festival

| World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary

| Thomas Balmès

| {{nom}}

Cinematography Award: World Cinema Documentary

| Thomas Balmès and Nina Bernfeld

| {{won}}

rowspan="2"| Sheffield International Documentary Festival

|Sheffield Youth Jury Award - Special Mention{{cite web|title=2014 Award Winners|url=https://sheffdocfest.com/articles/220-2014-award-winners|access-date=29 December 2014|archive-date=1 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701122959/https://sheffdocfest.com/articles/220-2014-award-winners|url-status=dead}}

| Thomas Balmès

|{{won}}

Sheffield Youth Jury Award

| Thomas Balmès

|{{nom}}