Bhutan has chosen “I, The Song,” directed by Dechen Roder, as its submission for the international feature film category at the 98th Academy Awards, marking another significant step for the small Himalayan nation’s emerging cinema.
The selection follows the film’s dominant performance at Bhutan’s National Film Awards, where it achieved a near clean sweep, winning most major categories including best film, director, screenplay and acting honors.
In “I, The Song,” a school teacher travels to the south of Bhutan in search of her doppelganger to save her job and reputation. As she becomes entangled in her lookalike’s life, she realizes she might be the only one to solve her doppelganger’s disappearance as well as recover a stolen sacred song.
The film had its world premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where Roder won best director, and its Asia premiere at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa. The cast includes Tandin Bidha, Jimmie Wangyal Tshering, Tshering Dorji, Sonam Lhamo and Dorji Wangdi.
This selection represents Bhutan’s fourth official submission to the Academy Awards since the kingdom began participating in 1999. Previous entries include “The Cup” (1999), “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” (2020), and “The Monk and The Gun” (2023). “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” became Bhutan’s first film to receive an Oscar nomination.
The selection was made by a committee organized through BICMA (Bhutan Information and Communications Media Authority), the country’s main film supporting agency. The Oscar submission committee itself was established relatively recently in Bhutan, as the country previously lacked formal procedures for Academy Award submissions.
“We’re super thrilled to be given this show of support from the committee,” said Roder. “Of course our Oscars journey likely peaks here, since we have zero budget for campaigns or anything now. Still we are honored and thrilled with the seal of recognition from our own country.”
“I, The Song” received several international grants, including funding from Visions sud est, MPA APSA Film Fund, Sorfond, WCF Europe, CNC ACM, Ciclic, and Mibac. The film is produced by Roder for Dakinny Productions (Bhutan) and Johann Chapelan for Girelle Production (France), with multiple international co-producers including companies from Norway, Taiwan, Italy, and France, alongside local co-producer Samuh, Bhutan’s first streaming platform. The production had no executive producers or equity investors.
Award-winning filmmaker and Academy member Arun Bhattarai, who served on Bhutan’s selection committee, praised the choice: “‘I, The Song’ touched me in a personal way. Dechen has a gift for blending the real and the mysterious, and through that she tells a story that feels deeply Bhutanese.”
Fellow committee member Thaye Lam Tshering added: “This film touches on a very current state of our world – the going viral economy/reality, how the digital affects reality. The film also showcases plenty of Bhutan’s unique culture and tradition.”
Producer Johann Chapelan said: “Today, as women’s rights and fundamental human freedoms are eroded by the rising tide of conservatism and bellicism across the world, this film stands as a reminder of cinema’s power to affirm human dignity.”
Roder expressed hope that the recognition would inspire the broader Bhutanese film community: “I hope this recognition gives our own filmmakers a small push of encouragement and inspiration and also creates a small visibility in the global landscape for Bhutanese art/independent films.”
Diversion is handling international sales for “I, The Song.”
The Oscar international feature shortlist will be announced on Dec. 16 and the final five nominees will be announced on Jan. 22.
