Agent of Happiness

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Agent of Happiness

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1h 34m

Documentary

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94%

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17 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

How is happiness measured? Can satisfaction with one's life be rated on a scale from one to ten? The Kingdom of Bhutan's famous -- and highly exoticized -- government policy measuring its nation's Gross National Happiness operates on the idea that the basic tenets of fulfillment can and should be quantified when calculating their nation's development. Happiness Agent Amber Gurung embarks throughout the Himalayan mountains to survey the contentment of citizens from different households and lifestyles. While Amber dutifully administers this census, he too is forced to confront his own struggles with fulfillment, and question what makes him happy. A "quiet, gently absorbing documentary" (The Guardian) AGENT OF HAPPINESS is a holistic exploration of Bhutan's Gross National Happiness index, using "meaningful visual contrast to scrutinize Bhutan's narrative about itself," (Variety). Filmmakers Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó carefully craft a visually stunning, tender narrative around the age-old quest to find the purpose of life.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

A slow-burning portrait that’s infused with warmth.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 15, 2024

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Cath Clarke

Guardian

This quiet, gently absorbing documentary follows two “happiness agents” as they travel door-to-door, like census workers, collecting data for the government’s happiness survey.

Jul 10, 2024

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Siddhant Adlakha

Variety

“Agent of Happiness” uses meaningful visual contrast to scrutinize Bhutan’s narrative about itself. It re-injects a vibrant sense of nuance into an exercise that, though nominally geared toward gauging humanity, too often reduces it to a number.

Jan 20, 2024

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David Parkinson

Radio Times

Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbo's intriguing documentary follows pollster Amber Kumar Gurung, who travels the kingdom of Bhutan interviewing its citizens as part of a government survey of happiness.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 13, 2024

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Ross Anthony

Hollywood Report Card

Novel, deeply beautiful, but sadly too long. Edited to half its current running time, I’d be raving. That said, arguably the stillness, and extended ordinariness add to the theme —> determining “Gross National Happiness” begs better tools.

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 8, 2024

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Bradley Gibson

Film Threat

In Agent of Happiness, Bhattarai and Zurbó have gifted us with a charming, heartfelt moment spent with the people of Bhutan, where, despite the efforts of the government, happiness can’t be quantified

Rated: 7.5/10

Nov 6, 2024

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Emma D

Quietly absorbing documentary about two government employees whose job it is to quantify people’s happiness. Left me with much food for thought.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/07/24

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Arun Bhattarai

Director

Dorottya Zurbó

Director

Amber Kumar Gurung

Self

Noémi Veronika Szakonyi

Producer

Máté Artur Vincze

Producer

Dawn Bonder

Executive Producer

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Agent of Happiness: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

How is happiness measured? Can satisfaction with one's life be rated on a scale from one to ten? The Kingdom of Bhutan's famous -- and highly exoticized -- government policy measuring its nation's Gross National Happiness operates on the idea that the basic tenets of fulfillment can and should be quantified when calculating their nation's development. Happiness Agent Amber Gurung embarks throughout the Himalayan mountains to survey the contentment of citizens from different households and lifestyles. While Amber dutifully administers this census, he too is forced to confront his own struggles with fulfillment, and question what makes him happy. A "quiet, gently absorbing documentary" (The Guardian) AGENT OF HAPPINESS is a holistic exploration of Bhutan's Gross National Happiness index, using "meaningful visual contrast to scrutinize Bhutan's narrative about itself," (Variety). Filmmakers Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó carefully craft a visually stunning, tender narrative around the age-old quest to find the purpose of life.

Director: Arun Bhattarai, Dorottya Zurbó
Producer: Noémi Veronika Szakonyi, Máté Artur Vincze, Arun Bhattarai
Distributor: Film Movement
Production Co: Match Frame Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: Dzongkha
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 1, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 21, 2025
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.8M
Runtime: 1h 34m

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