Beskop Tshechu Film Festival

Beskop Tshechu is Bhutan's first and only film festival dedicated to short fiction, documentary, and animation. Founded in 2011 by filmmaker Dechen Roder, her husband, and a collective of filmmakers and artists, the festival was created to provide an alternative platform for Bhutanese filmmakers and audiences in a country whose commercial film industry is overwhelmingly dominated by melodramatic love stories and musical productions. The name combines beskop (a colloquial Bhutanese adaptation of "bioscope," meaning cinema) with tshechu, the term for Bhutan's traditional religious festivals, signalling the event's aspiration to become a cultural gathering comparable in significance to the country's sacred celebrations.^[1][2]

History and Mission

The festival was born out of an urgent need in Bhutan for a space where short films, documentaries, and animations — genres rarely made for commercial gain — could be screened, discussed, and celebrated. The organisers recognised that these forms of filmmaking are vital for the growth of a creative and meaningful film industry, and that many of the world's most accomplished directors honed their craft through short-form work before progressing to features. All screenings are free and open to the public, reflecting the founders' commitment to accessibility.^[3]

The Beskop Tshechu committee is an entirely voluntary body. Organising and contributing to the festival is unpaid work, sustained by the passion of the filmmaking community and supported by sponsors including the Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority (BICMA), the Royal Office for the Media, and the Indian Embassy to Bhutan.^[4]

Festival Editions

Since its inaugural edition in 2011, the festival has been held at intervals of approximately one to two years. The fifth edition took place from 19 to 22 April 2024 at RUB Hall in Thimphu, featuring the highest number of Bhutanese competitive entries in the festival's history: nine short fiction films, five documentaries, and four animations. The opening film was Wooden Toilet by Zuri Rinpoche, and the closing film was Silent Walls by Suraj Bhattarai, which had previously premiered at the Dharamshala International Film Festival. International guests included the Indian filmmaker Rima Das and Jakub Krolikowski, founder of Poland's Five Flavours Asian Film Festival.^[5]

The sixth edition was held from 23 to 26 May 2025 at City Cinema Hall in Thimphu, with the opening film Pig at the Crossing by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche. The 2025 edition saw a significant rise in female participation among filmmakers, and included masterclasses, workshops, and seminars alongside the competitive programme. A special screening of Payal Kapadia's internationally acclaimed All We Imagine as Light was also featured.^[6][7]

Programming and Categories

The festival's competitive programme is divided into three categories: fiction, documentary, and animation. In addition to competition screenings, the programme typically includes a "DIFF on the Road" collaboration with the Dharamshala International Film Festival, bringing international documentary and fiction works to Bhutanese audiences. Masterclasses led by visiting international filmmakers and panel discussions on the state of Bhutanese cinema are regular features of the programme.^[8]

Dechen Roder and Bhutanese Cinema

The festival's co-founder, Dechen Roder (born 1980, Bumthang), is one of Bhutan's most internationally recognised filmmakers. She founded Dakinny Productions in 2009 and began making short documentaries and fiction films. Her debut feature, Honeygiver Among the Dogs (2016), had its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival and its European premiere at the Berlinale, winning three awards at the Fribourg International Film Festival and becoming Bhutan's first nomination at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Her second feature, I, the Song (2024), premiered at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where Roder won Best Director in the Critics' Picks section. It was subsequently selected as Bhutan's entry for the Academy Awards.^[9][10]

Significance

Beskop Tshechu has become an essential institution in Bhutanese cultural life, nurturing a generation of filmmakers working outside the commercial mainstream and connecting them to international film culture. By providing a dedicated space for non-commercial cinema, the festival has contributed to a broader understanding of filmmaking as an art form in Bhutan, complementing the work of pioneers like Ugyen Wangdi who established the national film industry in 1989.

References

1. "Beskop Tshechu Film Festival." BESKOP Bhutan.
2. "Beskop Tshechu, an alternative platform for filmmakers." The Bhutanese.
3. "Beskop Tshechu, Bhutan's First Festival Will Launch its 5th Edition." Asian Movie Pulse, April 2024.
4. "Beskop Tshechu Film Festival." BESKOP Bhutan.
5. "Beskop Tshechu 5th Edition." Asian Movie Pulse.
6. "Significant rise in female participation at Beskop Tshechu 2025." BBS, 2025.
7. "Beskop Tshechu Film Festival." BESKOP Bhutan.
8. "Beskop Tshechu Film Festival." BESKOP Bhutan.
9. "Exclusive Interview With Dechen Roder On Her 'I, The Song'." Cinema Daily US.
10. "Dechen Roder." Asia Pacific Screen Awards.