Masked Violence

This article examines the carnivalesque in two recent Bhutanese films, Hema Hema: Sing Me a Song While I Wait (2016, dir. Khyentse Norbu) and The Red Phallus (2018, dir. Tashi Gyeltshen). Bhutanese Buddhist rituals contain a number of elements that bear striking parallels with Mikhail Bakhtin’s conception of the carnivalesque, most notably in the use of masks and in the presence of jester figures known as atsaras. However, important differences also exist, most importantly the fact that in Bhutanese rituals masks are held to be sacred and are worn during dances intended to bring both participants and audience closer to Buddhist enlightenment. In both films discussed in this article, the anonymity provided by these traditional and ostensibly sacred masks prompts acts of sexual violence. As such, the article argues that the content of both films questions the use of ritual in contemporary Bhutan, while the use of carnivalesque form acts to deepen the nature of that questioning. In the case of Hema Hema, this is achieved by removing barriers between performance and spectatorship, while The Red Phallus in contrast seeks to alienate its audience.