Agent of Happiness

"In the late 1970s, Bhutan’s 4th King declared, “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross Domestic Product.” Decades later, this philosophy still guides Bhutan’s policies. This documentary quietly follows two “happiness agents” as they traverse the Bhutanese Himalayas, gathering data for the government’s unique Gross National Happiness Index. Like census workers, they visit remote villages, collecting responses to measure personal well-being. Amber, one of the agents, grapples with his own search for fulfilment.

The film gently encourages viewers to reflect on their own understanding of happiness. As happiness scores ranging from 0 to 10 are calculated, the impossibility of quantifying happiness becomes clear in this contemplative, thought-provoking film."