By Milani Perera
Dechen Roder (1980) is one of Bhutan’s pioneering female directors. She began her filmmaking career in 2009 with her production company, Dakinny Productions, making documentaries and short videos. Her debut feature, “Honeygiver Among the Dogs” (2017), premiered at the Busan International Film Festival and won three awards at the Fribourg International Film Festival. It also became the first Bhutanese film nominated for the Pacific Screen Award. Roder also co-founded Bhutan’s only film festival, the Beskop Tshechu Film Festival.
Her latest feature, “I, the Song,” premiered at the 28th Tallinn Black Night’s Film Festival under the Critic’s Pick Competition, where she was awarded Best Director.
We had the rare opportunity to have a heart-to-heart conversation about her filmmaking career and her latest film, ” I, the Song,” at the 28th Tallinn Black Night Film Festival in Estonia.
Congratulations on winning Best Director at the Critics’ Pick section i for “I, the Song”. How do you feel about it?
Thank you so much! I’m thrilled and a bit surprised, to be honest. It’s a great honour, and I’m deeply grateful to the festival for this recognition. But really, this win belongs to the entire team—the cast, crew, and everyone involved. Filmmaking is a collaborative effort, and I’m excited to share this journey with you all.
I’d love to hear about your filmmaking journey. How did your passion for storytelling begin?
My path into filmmaking wasn’t a straight line—it was more of a series of small moments that led me here. I’ve loved stories my whole life, which started with my mother. She’s been a storyteller as long as I can remember, passing down folktales and preserving Bhutan’s oral tradition. In Bhutan, storytelling has always been a communal activity, and that tradition has really shaped my work. In my 20s, when Bhutan’s film industry began to emerge, I realized film could be the perfect medium to carry on that tradition. We didn’t have a long history of analogue cinema, so we jumped into digital filmmaking. It felt natural to pursue this, blending my love of storytelling with the possibilities of the cinematic form.
Check an older interview with the director
Was there a particular moment when you decided filmmaking was your path?
For me, it was always about the transformative power of film. Cinema lets you go beyond just telling a story—it can open up a whole universe and allow you to connect with an audience on a deeper level. Growing up in Bhutan, no formal film education was available, so I studied history and international relations. But when I began writing my thesis, I realized there was a way to approach storytelling academically. Yet, I quickly realized that cinema’s reach was far more significant. It’s not just about ideas but how to communicate them to a broader audience.
After realizing your calling, where did you learn the craft of filmmaking?
I’ve been making films for nearly 20 years, and I want to stress that learning is a continuous process in this field. Every film I’ve worked on has been a lesson—whether it’s a feature, a documentary, or a short video project. I’ve worked on various projects in Bhutan, and each one has taught me something new about the craft. The process is ongoing; every new film is an opportunity to improve and refine my skills. I’m excited to share this journey with you.
Check the review of the film
Let’s delve into the title of your film, I, The Song. Despite their apparent differences, the characters Nima and Meto have intertwined stories. How does the title resonate with the narrative?
The idea of doppelgangers is central to the film. Nima and Meto look strikingly similar, which mirrors a song’s theme. Much like a story, a song doesn’t truly belong to anyone. It evolves, is shared, and takes on new meanings with each retelling. In that sense, Nima and Meto start as two separate individuals, but their identities blur and merge by the film’s end. They are distinct yet inseparable—just like a song that belongs to everyone and no one at the same time.
The visual style in “I, The Song” is quite striking, particularly your use of colour and light. Nima’s world feels cold and muted, while Meto’s is bathed in warm, golden light. Please elaborate on the significance of this choice.
That was a very intentional decision. My cinematographer, Rangoli Agarwal, and I discussed how to reflect the characters’ inner worlds through the visual tone. Nima’s world is cool, almost desaturated, which mirrors her perspective on life. She sees everything in black and white, so her surroundings, her costumes, and even the lighting are all in line with that. On the other hand, Meto is full of warmth and life, so we used much more saturated colours for her. The colours shift as the film progresses, and Nima’s life intertwines with Meto’s. The colder tones start to blend into warmer shades, symbolizing the change in Nima as she embraces a new perspective. Rangoli, who has an academic cinematography background, helped bring these ideas to life on screen.
That’s a fascinating approach. On a similar note, why did you narrate Meto’s story from a third-person perspective rather than giving her a direct voice?
I had many people tell me they wished Meto’s story could have been told from her own point of view. But for me, it was important to present her as a kind of memory—fragments of her life seen through other people’s eyes. The bright, almost ethereal tones we use to portray her convey that she’s seen as a memory, not entirely tangible but rather a collection of other people’s perceptions of her. In that sense, Meto’s story is never fully hers—it’s shaped by how others remember her.
Lastly, I would like to ask about the incredible actress Tandin Bidha, who plays both Nima and Meto. How did you find her for these roles?
Tandin is a massive name in Bhutanese commercial cinema—she’s starred in over 40 films. But this is her first time in an indie film, and the roles she plays in “I, The Song” are very different from anything she’s done before. I knew she was the perfect fit for these complex characters when I saw her. Nima and Meto are polar opposites, and Tandin brought a depth and range to both roles that I hadn’t seen in anyone else. Her ability to bring these characters to life, with all their contrasts and contradictions, made her the ideal choice.
Her performance is vital to the film’s success. Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us today. “I, The Song” is a beautiful, thought-provoking film; we can’t wait to see what you do next!
Thank you! It’s been a pleasure talking to you. I’m excited for the audience to experience the film and grateful for the support.
