The cast of the movie that cut the tape for the 18th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), “Vara: A Blessing,” is probably unfamiliar to Koreans. Even the director is not a big name. Kyentse Norbu is a director and a priest from Bhutan, the country that every associates with the high national happiness index. It was the first time that a Bhutanese movie got selected as the opening movie of the festival.
 
“Vara: A Blessing” was first revealed to the media. The screening somewhat delivered the meaning behind BIFF Chairman Lee Yong-gwan’s praises for the movie that it was extremely moving and the obvious choice for the opening ceremony. Although it is a movie from one of the lesser known countries, “Vara: A Blessing” has both artistry and mainstream appeal, making it a favorable choice for BIFF’s opening ceremony.

Taking its motif from traditional Indian dance Bharatanatyam, the movie beautifully illustrates a young couple’s love and a woman’s strong will and self-sacrifice in turbulent life. Even in the caste system of India, between the poor and the rich, the universal experience of love prevails. It is not difficult to become engrossed in the story.

An important motif in the movie, Bharatanatyam is not just a simple dance. As Lila learns this dance, she comes to imagine meeting her beloved goddess Krishna. In the movie, the dance surpasses the caste differences and becomes equal to all. Director Norbu used Bharatanatyam as a dance that has special meanings—beauty, holiness, and sacrifice—and make this evident through Lila. The actors and actresses also share a good chemistry. For the 96 minutes of the running time, the audience will be thoroughly moved by the deep meanings of the film.
 
“We are happy and honored that our movie was selected as the opening film of Busan International Film Festival,” said Goswami Shahana and Ranjang Devesh, who is debuting through this movie. Norbu, who was unable to attend the festival because of his religious training, sent a video message to the audience instead.

“It is a movie about sacrifice and imagination as well as about the power of faith,” he explained. “I’ve always been impressed by this Indian traditional dance, and wanted to show it to the world through the movie.”