Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
Samuel Goldwyn Films | Release Date: January 21, 2022 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
76
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews
Positive:
11
Mixed:
2
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
TheWrapRonda Racha PenriceMar 24, 2022
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom is more than what Ang Lee calls a “breath of fresh air”; it’s an affirmation that all films, however humble their origin, can matter and be counted. Read full review
90
Christian Science MonitorPeter RainerFeb 25, 2022
“Lunana” demonstrates, as few films ever have, how inspired schooling can break through even the most abject obstacles. Read full review
88
Movie NationRoger MooreFeb 23, 2022
The film invites us to imagine interior lives, a narrowing of the “pursuit of happiness” to tasks at hand, modest goals, music, food and love. As our pandemic waxes and wanes, “Lunana” becomes one of the great cinematic escapes of recent years. Read full review
83
The Film StageJared MobarakFeb 15, 2022
Pawo Choyning Dorji’s feature debut Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom captures the juxtaposition of big-city living and small-town surviving in a way that resonates beyond its cultural specificity—we all understand the contrast. Read full review
80
The Observer (UK)Wendy IdeMar 11, 2023
Lunana’s appeal is hard to miss: though rather naive in its messaging and unashamedly sentimental, the film is so pure of spirit and so open-hearted, you want to breathe it in, to fill your lungs with it. Read full review
80
Screen DailyAllan HunterFeb 8, 2022
The story arc of Lunana may offer few surprises but Dorji handles it with confidence and buckets of charm. Read full review
80
VarietyRichard KuipersFeb 8, 2022
Donji’s screenplay finds an ideal balance of gentle humor and life-affirming drama. Read full review
80
Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternJan 21, 2022
The film is a fable, to be sure, and one that unfolds at a leisurely pace, not a tough-minded psychological drama. But it’s sharp-witted as well as soulful, reasonably suspenseful. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comIsaac FeldbergFeb 11, 2022
Gentle and lilting, "Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” moves at a hiker’s pace. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesCarlos AguilarJan 20, 2022
Opening the doors to a land and people most Westerners know little about, the director crafts a crowd-pleaser in stunning, mostly unseen locations whose charms weather even its most idealistically patriotic and overly saccharine notes. Read full review
70
The New York TimesNicolas RapoldJan 20, 2022
The gently efficient story feels like an attempt to illustrate Bhutan’s real-life “Gross National Happiness” initiative. Read full review
60
Time OutSahir Avik D’souzaMar 9, 2023
There is an affection – for the people, for the animals, and for the land – that suffuses Lunana with a warm glow. Read full review
60
The GuardianPeter BradshawMar 9, 2023
There is something winning in this calm, walking-pace drama – and the landscape is amazing. Read full review
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