Pawo Choyning Dorji
4:00 pm | Eldred Hall Room 203, 2070 Adelbert Road, Cleveland OH 44106
This event is presented in Partnership with the Department of Religious Studies.
Pawo Choyning Dorji is a 2025 Hildegarde and Elbert Baker Visiting Scholar in the Humanities.
About the Speaker:
Pawo Choyning Dorji is an acclaimed Bhutanese filmmaker, screenwriter, and director. His debut feature film, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2019), was nominated for an Oscar at the 94th Academy Awards. His second feature film, The Monk and the Gun (2023), premiered at the prestigious Telluride Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival and was subsequently shortlisted for the 96th Academy Awards.
Deeply inspired by his Buddhist faith and Bhutanese heritage, Pawo's works explore universal themes such as interdependence, identity, and the resilience of the human spirit. His storytelling is widely celebrated for its emotional authenticity, weaving deeply personal narratives rooted in Bhutanese culture that resonate with audiences worldwide.
In 2022, Pawo was honoured with Bhutan’s highest civilian accolade, the Druk Thuksey (“Heart-Son of the Thunder Dragon”), awarded by His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in recognition of his distinguished service to the Bhutanese nation and its people. In 2024, Pawo received an honorary doctorate in fine arts from his alma mater, Lawrence University.