Director’s Profile
THE FOUNDER
Karma Tshering is one of Bhutan’s first artists trained in the field of filmmaking and has directed Bhutan’s first commercial and block buster movie “Jigdrel” in 1997. The promoter is also the recipient of the very first “Best Film Director Award” for the block buster movie “Chepai Bu” during the first National Film Awards in 2001, followed by another “Best Film Director Award” for the film “6 Boys” based on a true story in 2002.
To provide a forum for young Bhutanese women to display their skills and talents, and to advance their careers, the promoter has founded “Miss Bhutan Pageant”, Bhutan’s first beauty pageant show in 2008. The following year, the promoter founded Bhutan’s first women’s magazine “Yeewong”, an initiative to address issues relating to women and children.
The promoter has served as the “Director of Production” for a US based non-profit organization; Core of Culture and Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawaii, USA with head quarters in Honolulu and Chicago, USA. The five year long project has helped in the preservation and documentation of the sacred arts and religious dances of Bhutan from 2004-2008 followed by an exhibition on the “Arts and sacred dances of Bhutan” in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
The promoter has also organized the first “Bhutanese Film Festival” in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA in 2007 and a 3 days “Dramitse Ngacham Festival” at Yungdrung Choeling, Trongsa by inviting Dramitse Ngacham dancers from all over the country in 2006. The event was funded by Honolulu Academy of Arts and Core of Culture, USA.
Funded by DoIM, MoiC, the promoter has coordinated the first “Bhutanese Film Festival” in Gangtok, Sikkim in 2018 while serving as the president of the Film Association of Bhutan.
In 2014, the promoter has founded “Bhutan Eco-Green Initiative Network (BEGIN) and has successfully achieved in setting the very first Guinness World Record in Tree Plantation for Bhutan. 100 men planted 49,672 trees in 1 hour setting a new world record in plantation on 2nd June 2015, coinciding with the coronation day of the Fourth King of Bhutan.
In 2015, under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty Gyalyum Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, the promoter has initiated a special year long event “People’s Initiative in Celebrating the Sixtieth Anniversary” (PICSA) to celebrate a year long national event to commemorate the 60th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty the Great Fourth, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Some of the mega national events included; 3 days “Peling Tshechu” at Wangdichoeling palace ground, Bumthang. The event was graced by Her Majesty Gyalyum Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck and HRH Prince Dasho Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck. Prime Minster, Opposition leader, Ministers, senior government officials and general public. Organized the 2nd “Peling Tshechu”, at Kuensel Phodrang, Thimphu. The mega event was graced by His Majesty The King, His Majesty The Fourth King, Her Majesty The Queen, Their Majesties the Queen Mothers, Princes and Princesses, Prime Minister, Opposition leader, ministers, senior government officials and general public. Organized the first “National Music Festival” at Taktse College, Trongsa graced by the then finance minister Lyonpo Namgay Dorji, organized a 2 days “National Textile Exhibition” in Lhuentse graced by HRH Prince Dasho Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, organized an “Inter-departmental Theatre Competition” at Sherubtse College, Kanglung graced by the then education minister Lyonpo Norbu Wangchuk, initiated Bhutan’s first Guinness World Record in Tree Plantation, co-organized the first “Grand Cleaning Campaign” in the entire dzongkhag in Bumthang collecting close to 30 truck loads of trash.
The promoter is one of the founding members of the Film Association of Bhutan (FAB) then called as the Motion Picture Association of Bhutan (MPAB) and has served as the Vice President at the initial stage and as President of the Film Association of Bhutan from 2017 to 2020. The promoter has also served as the first Chairperson of the National Film Commission of Bhutan (NFCB) from 2018 to 2021.
The promoter was awarded the “Hindi Cinema Samman Samaroh Award” in 2019 at the 12th Global Film Festival, India followed by an “International Award for Excellence in Cinema” at the 13th Global Film Festival in 2020. The promoter has recently directed a Bhutanese feature film titled “Choegyal Norzang & Yeethro Lhamo”, an epic love story featuring National award winning actors, Tandin Bidha, Nidup Dorji and Gyem Dorji.