Agent of Happiness

Is happiness a better measure of well-being than economics?

This documentary takes a look at the Gross National Happiness (GNH) index which is used in Bhutan.  Mahayana Buddhism permeates all aspects of life in this South Asian country.  So, it is not surprising that they developed GNH to assess the collective well-being of the population as opposed tools such as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which only measures economic well-being.  Although GNH seems like a great idea, not all is happy there.  This film focusses on Amber Gurung, a civil servant who is employed to travel around the country collecting data for the GNH by surveying randomly selected people.  Ironically, throughout the film he questions his own happiness given the difficulties he has experienced over the course of his life as a member of Bhutan’s Nepalese minority community. This film is wonderfully shot and includes many scenes with breathtaking landscapes which highlight the beauty of this country.  Viewers will be challenged by this documentary to reflect on which factors contribute to their sense of well-being in their own lives.