Sing Me a Song

Sing Me a Song is an uplifting exploration of the intersection between tradition and modernity, religion and technology, innocence and the march of time. This documentary film from 2019, directed by Thomas Balmès, serves as a sequel to his 2006 film, Happily Ever After, and captures the transformation of Peyangki, a Buddhist monk living in the remote mountains of Bhutan.

The film primarily follows the journey of Peyangki, who was eight years old in the predecessor film. Now in his teens, he continues his monkhood in Laya, one of Bhutan’s most remote and isolated monasteries, nestled atop a Himalayan mountain where life is guided by prayer, meditation, and simple living. His first encounter with technology came in 2006 when he watched television for the first time. Today, however, Bhutan, the last country to adopt television, is now bombarded with digital technology which is dramatically changing the lives of people, especially the younger generation like Peyangki.

Sing Me a Song subtly explores the effects of digital growth on the life, mind, and heart of Peyangki. Equipped with a mobile phone, Peyangki dives into the realm of the internet, exposing himself to a new world far beyond his own. Its grip over him gradually becomes stronger, as he finds himself entrapped in a virtual world, in the process losing touch with his religious duties. What makes the film compelling is that it eschews a preachy tone, instead opting to provide an unbiased documentation of the reality as it unfolds, letting viewers form their own opinions.

In addition to this narrative, Peyangki also embarks on a romantic journey, albeit a digitally mediated one. He develops a relationship of sorts with Ugyen, a young singer who lives in the capital city of Thimphu. Much of their relationship is developed through WeChat, a popular communication platform in Bhutan. This interaction forms a significant subplot in the movie. It elucidates the impact of technology on relationships and how it’s reshaping human emotions, redefining communication, and altering the concept of distance.

Balmès’ cinematography is astonishing, with sweeping mountain vistas, slow-paced life, and serene atmospheric settings contrasting dramatically with the color and pace of the digital world displayed on smartphones. The soundscape of the film is equally immersive, intricately dividing between the rhythmic chanting of monks, the tinkling bells of the monastery, and the electronic beeps and jargon of online games and apps. Such elements collectively create a vivid texture to the film and an atmosphere which the viewers become a part of.

Sing Me a Song also provides a window into the socio-cultural fabric of Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom known for measuring Gross National Happiness instead of GDP. As much as the film is about the intersection of ancient traditions and modern technology, it also explores the cultural shift faced by a nation holding onto its unique heritage in the face of rapid modernization. Through the character of Peyangki, we are exposed to the challenges and dilemmas faced by today’s youth in this rapidly changing world.

In its essence, the movie highlights the fact that the invasion of technology brings undeniable charm, convenience, and connectivity, but at the same time exposes us to a web of distractions and detaches us from our roots. Through Peyangki's journey, we get a stark reminder that while technology brings the world to our fingertips, it also has the potential to sweep us off our feet, disconnecting us from our present reality.

Sing Me a Song is beautiful and poetic but also delivers a poignant message about the extraordinary power - and potential danger - of technology that resonates universally. It is both an intimate portrayal of an individual's life and a broader reflection on society at large, a compelling watch for anyone interested in contemplating the societal impacts of digital dominance. While it is not without its melancholic moments, Sing Me a Song ultimately maintains a hopeful tone, suggesting that even in the face of relentless modernization, human resilience and the search for genuine connection endure.