Pawo Choyning Dorji

Born: 1983-06-23

Birthplace: Thimphu, Bhutan

Biography

Pawo Choyning Dorji (Dzongkha: དཔའ་བོ་ཆོས་དབྱིངས་རྡོ་རྗི།; born 23 June 1983) is a Bhutanese filmmaker. His feature directorial debut, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, was nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022. His second film The Monk and the Gun (2023) premiered at the Telluride and Toronto International Film Festivals and was shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards. His short documentary A Song for the Snow Lion, made with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, premiered at the Telluride Film Festival.

Dorji, a devout Buddhist, is a student of renowned Buddhist master and filmmaker Khyentse Norbu, and discovered filmmaking working with him — first as director's assistant on Vara: A Blessing (2013), then as producer of Hema Hema (2016).

On December 17, 2022, the 115th National Day of Bhutan, Dorji was awarded the country's highest civilian honor, the Druk Thuksey, the Heart Son of the Thunder Dragon, by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck — becoming its youngest-ever recipient and the first Bhutanese filmmaker so honored. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.