“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom,” became the unlikeliest of Oscar contenders when it was nominated this year for best international film. The story of a young man in Bhutan who goes on an unexpected and life-changing journey to become a teacher in the nation’s remote mountains is the first feature from director Pawo Choyning Dorji and the first film in history of the small Himalayan country to be nominated.

Dorji and his wife, Taiwanese actor and producer Stephanie Lai, arrived in Los Angeles a few weeks before Sunday’s Academy Awards along with their 12-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son.

He shared some of their experiences with The Associated Press in this first-person account.

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A “BORING YAK”

As I worked over the past two years on “Lunana, A Yak in the Classroom,” my kids were subjected to a lot of talk about it. My son could not understand what the big fuss was about, and asked me why I worked so hard to make such a “boring and slow” film, that had a “yak who does nothing but just sit there.” He would often say, “Dad, can you next time maybe try and make films that are enjoyable to watch, like ”Spider-Man?”

When the film was announced as Bhutan’s first-ever Oscar nominee, I and my wife jumped and screamed in joy. Our two children, who had never seen their parents that ecstatic, asked what the Oscars were. I told them that we had just been recognized as one of the five best international films in the world and that we would have to go to Hollywood.

They asked us who else would attend the Oscars, and I told them, “Everyone!” My son replied, “Even Spider-Man?” I said, “Yes, of course! Even Spider-Man will be there!” They started jumping and asked me if I could have them meet Andrew Garfield, their favorite Spider-Man. I did not know that Andrew was nominated for an Oscar for “tick, tick…BOOM!” and frankly I thought meeting him in Hollywood would not be possible, but I nonetheless said “Yes, yes, I promise you will meet Andrew Garfield!” as I did not want to disappoint them. The children jumped in joy and were finally excited about the ”boring yak.”

My children told many of their friends that they were going to Hollywood to meet Andrew Garfield. I was very worried about disappointing them and even warned my wife, “Don’t tell the kids, but someone like Andrew Garfield would not have time to meet us.”

A THRILLING SPIDER-MAN

After arriving in California, I and my wife attended the nominee’s luncheon at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel on March 7. It was such a surreal moment as we sat in the same room as Steven Spielberg, Denzel Washington, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jessica Chastain, and, yes, Andrew Garfield!

I and my wife sneaked over to him. As I introduced myself, he grabbed my hand and said, “Oh I visited Bhutan, and I loved it so much! I was so happy when I saw that there was a Bhutanese film that was nominated.” I and my wife then shared with Andrew how our children, who were not with us at that moment, wanted to meet him and he graciously agreed.

My wife quickly went to get the children at the luncheon’s drop-off point. Andrew was so kind, he came over and spoke to the kids as though they were old friends, even giving my son high fives. My children claimed that meeting Andrew Garfield was the “best moment in their lives!”

That night once we got back to the hotel room, we told our son to wash up before going to bed. He looked down at his little hands and said “but Andrew Garfield high-fived me, if I wash up, I’ll lose his energy.”