Movies About Buddhism

[KhnomKhnom 442]

I thought "The Matrix" (the first one) was a pretty good movie about Buddhism :-)

Sorry, but you saw a mish mash bit of manure, a teenie and pre teen confusion.

[KhnomKhnom 442]

How Red China kills, tortures, and represses Tibetans practicing Buddhism are more important than the slick Hollywood stuff.

See....

TIBET: MURDER IN THE SNOW, a very disturbing documentary with a live, unscripted camera on the Himalaya mt camp when the cameraman was able to film Red Chinese police shooting two people in a line of Tibetans walking in snow to get out of Chinese occupied Tibet. The nun, a teenage girl, was fatally injured, but the Chinese went to look over her body the next day, found her still breathing and kicked her into a snow ditch and walked away. The cameraman had to hide and has since been dogged by "someone" and tries to be low profile. The incident was witnessed by about one hundred climbers but only one went on camera to confirm the video... his climbing license was nullified by Chinese, ending his livelihood. Available on DVD; I have that and it is really chilling.... repression of Buddhism with Chinese bullets.

More titles on DVD...... HIMALAYA and TIBET: CRY OF THE SNOW LION.

Red China and N. Korea... and prisons.... are the only places that kill people trying to depart.

I have a series of smaller documentaries about the repression of Buddhism in Red China on the YouTube channel k4vud... more coming soon.

[Water Buffalo 234]

Here's a teaser for the film documentary Living Prayer in Buddhism. It was directed by Jean-Claude Lubtchansky, famed for his work on Lord of the Flies and Meetings with Remarkable Men. I served as local production manager on the Thailand segments.

The film can be difficult to track down as it was fully funded by the Axis Mundi Foundation and is for the most part only screened for groups on request, visa the website.

Looks great!

[arunsakda 1,421]

I did not read the whole thread but have you seen "The Burmese Harp by director Kon Ichikawa? A very powerful and stunning film.

[nongai 661]

Can I introduce you to the films by a french meditation guru. He is not a monk but more like the russi of Thailand, long hair, forest dwelling,(is that their translation of rishi from Japanese?)

It appears that he has been living and practicing in Burma for many years since he speaks Burmese well. He must be associated with a temple and its school there as he is also a filmmaker and uses or rather teaches some students to be his actors. Four movies so far all with the theme to get people meditating.

The first two have english subtitles built in but the second two need them activated...

He has two channels on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMTbNJUg92ZkVypYDuu2BVA

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7otPWbDi2ELGiy3yxdq-Ww

first movie... Lokkutara (Deliverance)

http://delivrance.dhammadana.org/lokuttara.htm#mov

second.. the great legacy

third movie .. Niravana

also this follow up to complete the ending of Nivarana

4th and latest ...Taste of the Dhamma

Edited April 20, 2016 by nongai

[sabaijai 385]

‘WANDERING’ INTO THE WOODS, DIRECTOR CAPTURES BUDDHISM ON FILM

Thai film director Boonsong Nakphoo's latest effort, “The Wandering” Thursday, explores the tranquil journey of a man who decided later in life to become a monk, something rarely seen in films nowadays.

 

“As I had ordained for ten years, I’ve been wanting to make a movie about Buddhism,” said Boonsong. “I waited for the right time to become more mature and proficient in filmmaking. This is the right time to tell the story as society decays morally and most monk movies are slapstick comedies, dark, or presented in a styleless manner.”

 

Boonsong continues to show his signature traits in “The Wandering” or Thudongkawatas the story follows a man who enters a spiral of depression after his son dies, he then loses his job and his wife leaves him. He finally decides to seek solitude by ordaining in a deep forest and begins a physical and mental pilgrimage.

 

“A Buddhist pilgrimage is similar to an adventure to train our mind as the monks go deep into jungles and fight with their desires cold turkey by meditating and walking back and forth. No one has made a film about them before. So, I decided to go ahead with the project,” said Boonsong.

 

[No longer screening in Bangkok, but trailer can be viewed at the link below.]

 

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/movies/2016/07/07/wandering-woods-director-captures-buddhism-film/

[sabaijai 385]

The Wandering will be screening in these provinces August 11-24, 2016:

 

Kantana Theatres in Rachaburi / Singburi / Phayao / Lomsak, Petchaboon / Rong Kwang, Phrae / Ban Na Sarn and Phra Sang, Suratthani / Pak Thong Chai, Nakhorn Rachasima / Sri Song Khram, Nakhorn Phanom.

 

 

[sabaijai 385]

Xuan Zang, a new film produced by legendary Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai, debuts in Bangkok cinemas tonight.

 

The film follows Chinese Buddhist monk/scholar Xuan Zang's journey to India to bring a complete copy of the Tripitaka back to China. Xuan Zang is played by well-known actor Huang Xiaoming. Locations included remote areas of China as well as India.

 

 

Info on Xuan Zang:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang

[godblessemall 199]

On ‎29‎/‎10‎/‎2557 at 11:48 AM, camerata said:

So Be It

A gentle, fascinating documentary about the central role of Buddhism in Thai society.

Richard Kuipers

A fascinating documentary about the role of Buddhism in Thai society, “So Be It” follows the experiences of two young boys learning about life through close contact with the faith. Made by the high-profile indie team of helmer Kongdej Jaturanrasmee (“P-047”) and producer Soros Sukhum (“Wonderful Town,” “36”), this accessible item deserves to find an audience locally and is worth the attention of fest programmers and specialty offshore outlets. Pic will receive a limited theatrical release in Bangkok on Oct. 30.

Continuing his interest in projects made on a much smaller scale than the commercial hits he’s scripted or co-written (“Tom Yum Goong,” 2005; “Happy Birthday,” 2008), Jaturanrasmee gives viewers who may know little or nothing about Buddhism a helping hand in the opening segs. It begins with footage of Thai school teachers telling students why Buddhism is important, and explaining the basic principles of self-control and respect for others. This is followed by a voiceover narrator relaying an illustrated version of the story of Sakka and Puri, monks who left their homes to gain knowledge of the physical and spiritual worlds. The documentary returns to this tale occasionally to draw meaningful parallels with the progress of its subjects.

http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/busan-film-review-so-be-it-1201327387/

This looks very interesting, has anyone got links to it?

[Sheryl 23,941]

I still think the ultimate Buddhist movie was the Matrix trilogy....

[godblessemall 199]

On ‎16‎/‎11‎/‎2559 at 0:49 PM, Sheryl said:

On ‎16‎/‎11‎/‎2559 at 0:49 PM, Sheryl said:

I still think the ultimate Buddhist movie was the Matrix trilogy....

I still think the ultimate Buddhist movie was the Matrix trilogy....

I have often seen similar statements about the matrix. I assume the person is not really Buddhist. Although the theme of that series has some similarity to Buddhist thought, about how this is a world of illusion, so does the movie Groundhog Day where you keep coming back until you get it right. In this thread are many good movies about Buddhism, but I wouldn't call any of them 'the Ultimate' .

Edited November 19, 2016 by godblessemall
spelling

[sabaijai 385]

"Slow down and breathe. This contemplative journey follows in the steps of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and is a rare insight into life within a monastic community. The sun rises. Everything is calm and still. Life is beautifully serene as Benedict Cumberbatch’s composed, meditative voice reads an extract from Thich Nhat Hanh’s early journals. So begins Max Pugh and Marc J Francis’ (Black Gold, LFF2006) fascinating and immersive exploration of what it means to devote one’s life to mindfulness. With unprecedented access to the famous secluded monastery of Plum Village in the South West of France, Walk With Me captures the daily routine and rituals of monks and nuns on a quest to develop a deep sense of presence. It is an insightful rumination on the pursuit of happiness, living in the present and our attachment to material things – a welcome remedy to the stresses of city life and a world in turmoil."

Laure Bonville, London Film Festival

 

 

[fusion58 477]