Kinley Dorji, former secretary, journalist, and current member of the Gross National Happiness (GNH) communication department in Bhutan, explains in this interview what this index measuring happiness in Bhutan is, and its values in contrast to GDP (Gross Domestic Product), which only measures production and economic growth. "Economic development does not contribute sufficiently to human progress," he states. The journalist details how the academic foundations for measuring GNH were established and how surveys used to gauge the population's priorities are translated into government policies.
The First Film Forum of the Catalan Buddhist Film Festival presents the documentary "The Happiness Agent," co-directed by Dorottya Zurbó and Arun Bhattarai, which precisely shows how these surveys are conducted.
The film takes us to Bhutan to meet Amber, an official tasked with measuring his citizens' Gross National Happiness, while he himself embarks on his own search for love, meaning, and happiness.
After the screening, a discussion titled "Can happiness be measured?" will open to build bridges between science, ancient wisdom, and contemporary society. Participants will include the film's co-director, Dorottya Zurbó; Buddhist teacher Lama Tsondru; Anna Forés Miravalles, PhD in Philosophy and Educational Sciences from the University of Barcelona; and journalist Jordi Llompart.
🎞️ Online film: May 29 to June 1
🎤 Live and online discussion: May 29 at 10 PM, and on demand until June 1
🌍 Available for: all of Spain
🎬 Language: documentary with Catalan and Spanish subtitles · Discussion in Catalan with simultaneous translation into Spanish
🎟️ Book your ticket here: https://fcbc.eventive.org/welcome
📖 + info: https://cineforum.festivalcinemabudista.cat/
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