Documentary
British Buddhist monk, Ven. Ñanavira Thera ordained in Ceylon shortly after WWII and lived as a hermit on the outskirts of a remote village, Bundala, until his suicide in 1965. His complex and innovative writings remain largely unknown - in part because of his suicide, but also due to the challenging and unorthodox nature of his work. The film explores Ven. Ñanavira's biography, writings, and the questions around monastic suicide.
MOVIE COMMENTS
SIMILAR MOVIES
The Last Lost Kingdom
How to Cook Your Life
Art as a Weapon
gOD-Talk
Brilliant Moon: Glimpses of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
The Buddha
Refuge
14 Apples
Immortal Stupa
A Journey
The Life of Buddha
Wheel of Time
The Shift
The Light of the Golden Sun
Peace Is Every Step
Unmistaken Child
Weltreise mit Buddha
Blue Kangling
The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life
Wisdom of Happiness
SIMILAR MOVIES
The Last Lost Kingdom
IMDB 0 | Jun , 2014
Following in the footsteps of his father, Folco Felzani embarks on an epic journey on foot in search of Mustang, the last lost kingdom, in northern Nepal. The story of a king without a kingdom. The adventure of a son without a father.How to Cook Your Life
IMDB 5.6 | May , 2007
A Zen priest in San Francisco and cookbook author use Zen Buddhism and cooking to relate to everyday life.Art as a Weapon
IMDB 6 | Jun , 2014
Street art, creativity and revolution collide in this beautifully shot film about art’s ability to create change. The story opens on the politically charged Thailand/Burma border at the first school teaching street art as a form of non-violent struggle. The film follows two young girls (Romi & Yi-Yi) who have escaped 50 years of civil war in Burma to pursue an arts education in Thailand. Under the threat of imprisonment and torture, the girls use spray paint and stencils to create images in public spaces to let people know the truth behind Burma's transition toward "artificial democracy." Eighty-two hundred miles away, artist Shepard Fairey is painting a 30’ mural of a Burmese monk for the same reasons and in support of the students' struggle in Burma. As these stories are inter-cut, the film connects these seemingly unrelated characters around the concept of using art as a weapon for change.gOD-Talk
IMDB 0 | Oct , 2023
Explores the lives of seven Black Millennials – Atheist, Buddhist, Christians, Muslim, Ifa, and Spiritualist – and the challenges and discoveries with faith and spirituality.Brilliant Moon: Glimpses of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
IMDB 7 | Jan , 2010
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IMDB 6.3 | Apr , 2010
This documentary for PBS by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin and narrated by Richard Gere, tells the story of the Buddha’s life, a journey especially relevant to our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion. It features the work of some of the world’s greatest artists and sculptors, who across two millennia, have depicted the Buddha’s life in art rich in beauty and complexity. Hear insights into the ancient narrative by contemporary Buddhists, including Pulitzer Prize winning poet W.S. Merwin and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Join the conversation and learn more about meditation, the history of Buddhism, and how to incorporate the Buddha’s teachings on compassion and mindfulness into daily life.Refuge
IMDB 0 | Jan , 1972
A documentary about the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order in London.14 Apples
IMDB 5.4 | May , 2018
Wang Shin-hong is suffering from insomnia. A fortune teller advises the Mandalay businessman, whose car and bulging wallet suggest that business is going pretty well, to spend 14 days in a monastery, living life as a monk and eating an apple a day. Such a thing is possible in Burma today. Wang Shin-hong arrives at the rural monastery, has his head shaved and dons a red robe, in which he instantly becomes an authority. During the welcome procession, the village women, their poverty clear from their clothing and the huts in the background, put more than they have in his alms bowl. During his fleeting role as their advisor, Wang Shin-hong soon learns of the villagers’ attempts to survive and make a living as legal or illegal migrants in China, Thailand or Malaysia. He also finds out how the other monks try to generate profit and additional income.Immortal Stupa
IMDB 0 | Jan , 1961
Documentary on the Great Stupa at Sanchi, built by the Emperor Ashoka, and adorned with some of the finest examples of Buddhist art in the world.A Journey
IMDB 8 | May , 2017
A cinematic journey through the world. Non-verbal.The Life of Buddha
IMDB 5.9 | Dec , 2007
Over 2,500 years ago, one man showed the world a way to enlightenment. This beautifully produced Buddhist film by the BBC meticulously reveals the fascinating story of Prince Siddhartha and the spiritual transformation that turned him into the Buddha.Wheel of Time
IMDB 6.4 | Oct , 2003
Wheel of Time is Werner Herzog's photographed look at the largest Buddhist ritual in Bodh Gaya, India.The Shift
IMDB 6.7 | Jan , 2009
From the creators of You Can Heal Your Life: The Movie comes a compelling portrait of three modern lives in need of new direction and new meaning. In his first-ever movie, Wayne Dyer explores the spiritual journey in the second half of life when we long to find the purpose that is our unique contribution to the world. The powerful shift from the ego constructs we are taught early in life by parents and society—which promote an emphasis on achievement and accumulation—are shown in contrast to a life of meaning, focused on serving and giving back. Filmed on coastal California’s spectacular Monterey Peninsula, The Shift captures every person’s mid-life longing for a more purposeful, soul-directed life.The Light of the Golden Sun
IMDB 0 | Jan , 2011
More than 50 years ago, the Tibetan Bon Buddhist tradition was driven from its refuge deep within the Himalayas. This is the story of the long and difficult journey that followed. Told through the lens of one Bon teacher born in exile -- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche -- this film reveals something very precious and very old: a rich spiritual heritage, hidden for millennia, whose secret teachings are only now becoming known to the world. There may be no unbroken spiritual tradition more ancient than Bon, which traces its beginnings to a buddha who predates Shakyamuni by thousands of years. Yet this tradition today may be facing its greatest challenge thus far: to preserve its rich heritage beyond the land of its birth.Peace Is Every Step
IMDB 0 | Dec , 2005
The influential life and powerful messages of Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh are explored in this biographical documentary. For more than 50 years, this amazing social activist has preached self-awareness and compassion for all living beings. Follow him as he travels through France and the United States—including a stop at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C.—spreading peace by teaching mindfulness and forgiveness.Unmistaken Child
IMDB 6.3 | Jun , 2009
In Nepal, a venerable monk, Geshe Lama Konchog, dies and one of his disciples, a youthful monk named Tenzin Zopa, searches for his master's reincarnation. The film follows his search to the Tsum Valley where he finds a young boy of the right age who uncannily responds to Konchog's possessions. Is this the reincarnation of the master? After the boy passes several tests, Tenzin takes him to meet the Dali Lama. Will the parents agree to let the boy go to the monastery, and, if so, how will the child respond? Central to the film is the relationship the child develops with Tenzin.Weltreise mit Buddha
IMDB 5 | Jul , 2020
The Odd Monk is a personal journey through modern day Buddhism. German first time Filmmaker Jesco Puluj travels around the world, meeting a variety of monks and nuns to discover the essence of Buddhism.Blue Kangling
IMDB 0 | Jan , 2026
Tibetan Buddhist search for the meaning of death in an unforgiving Himalayan landscape and stir compassion by uncovering human truthsThe Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life
IMDB 6 | Jun , 1994
Narrated by Leonard Cohen, this two-part series explores ancient teachings on death and dying and boldly visualises the afterlife according to Tibetan philosophy. Tibetan Buddhists believe that after a person dies, they enter a state of "bardo" for 49 days until a rebirth. Program 1, The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life documents the history of The Tibetan Book of the Dead, tracing the book's acceptance and use in Europe and North America. Program 2, The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Liberation observes an old Buddhist lama and a 13-year-old novice monk as they guide a deceased person into the afterlife.Wisdom of Happiness
IMDB 7.4 | Nov , 2024
A deeply intimate and highly cinematic documentary featuring the Dalai Lama, who, at nearly ninety year of age, offers practical advice for navigating the 21st century's challenges.