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List Price: $24.95 | | Label: Wakan Films
Salesrank: 13804
Released: May 29, 2009 |
| Our Price: $21.47 |
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MPAA Rating:
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Dalai Lama Renaissance, which is narrated by actor Harrison Ford, is the winner of 12 awards, and the official selection of over 40 international film festivals.
The documentary film has played in theaters in over 100 cities in the U.S., as well as in cinemas around the world. At the edge of the Millennium, the Dalai Lama of Tibet invited 40 of the West's leading, most innovative thinkers to his residence in the Himalayan Mountains of Northern India to discuss the world's problems and how we can solve them. What transpired was unexpected and powerful, and captured by an 18-person 5-camera film crew.
The film features quantum physicists Fred Alan Wolf and Amit Goswami (from What the Bleep Do We Know), Dr. Michael Beckwith (from The Secret),national radio host Thom Hartmann, revolutionary social scientist Jean Houston, activist Vandana Shiva (from the film The Corporation), and others. Beautifully filmed exotic scenery and Tibetan and Indian culture.
"SPELLBINDING... An uplifting cathartic journey that grips the soul."
"An inspirational revelation for mankind... An everlasting awakening of the heart and mind."
- Actress Diane Ladd - 3-time Oscar & Emmy nominee
"Yes I like your questions..."
"Certainly, your effort can make some contribution there s no doubt."
- The 14th Dalai Lama - (to "DLR" Producer-Director Khashyar Darvich)
"a provocative, even enlightening film."
"fascinating, ravishingly beautiful and sonically soothing."
- John Griffin - Montreal Gazette
"a moving form of visual poetry"
"Captures momentous magic. Applause to the filmmakers for revealing the jewel in the lotus The film is an intimate and stirring testimony"
- Donna Strong - Awareness Magazine
"an extraordinary portrait of His Holiness at work."
"Some of the best comic scenes in any new film out there right now"
- Bob Graham - San Francisco Bay Times
"It is a stunning tour-de-force"
"intimate glimpse into the Dalai Lama's life"
- Amy Wong - LA Yoga Magazine
"Dalai Lama Renaissance is an interesting portrayal of human ego pitted against compassion and altruism, exemplifying the very essence of the issues facing the world today."
- Todd Mayville - Elephant Journal
"Fire up this DVD and prepare to be amazed... The film has a certain persuasive power... Hilarious."
- Ross Robertson - EnlightenNext Magazine
"The film rapidly grabs hold of you There is plenty of humor [a] top-notch comedy A journey of self-discovery The lessons of Dalai Lama Renaissance apply just as much to the audience watching this insightful documentary"
- Ian Bartholomew - Taipei Times, Taiwan
"I narrated Dalai Lama Renaissance, because I believe His Holiness is making a positive influence in our world. For me, the film represented an opportunity to continue assisting the optimistic efforts of an extraordinary individual."
- Harrison Ford - actor, narrator of "Dalai Lama Renaissance"
"Marvelous film!"
"Dalai Lama Renaissance reminds us of some most important lessons."
- Frederick Marx Co-Filmmaker, "Hoop Dreams," and Academy Award nominee
105 minutes of additional Special Bonus Features included on the DVD.
Dalai Lama Renaissance (narrated by Harrison Ford) Reviews:
In the Top 20 of all films I have ever seen. 
2009-12-10 - One of the best films I have seen in my life. I sat spellbound throughout this film, and wept uncontrollably through most of it, while laughing and feeling waves of joy and insight sweep over me, as it peeled away "layers and layers of human onion peel". Not only is the beauty and saturated color of this film overwhelmingly beautiful, the incredible scenes around the legendary Dharamsala, the footage of India, and Harrison Ford's moving readings of a handful of key quotes that punctuate and divide the sections of this film, make it a rich multi-layered experience.
This is an incredible depiction of the disturbing, inevitable and ultimately liberating and very human friction that that flowed out of the group dynamics generated by this gathering of 40 highly learned professors, priests, psychologists, physicists, and others that His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama invited, allowed and granted audience to for a week long visit to Dharamsala.
The invited group's idea was to brainstorm and come up with a synthesis of the group's "brilliant ideas" (generated by their sincere but often ego-filled and top-heavy intellectual minds) and present those ideas to His Holiness The Dalai Lama, to see what he would think...
This is not a normal or typical documentary about The Dalai Lama. To those that think that The Dalai Lama is an overrated, or over-venerated projection of people's desires to have a "super-human" deity to "worship": this film will surprise them. Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, in his own completely natural way, explodes and deflates the group's (and the audience's) expectations of His divinity and brilliance--while simultaneously reinforcing it. He exceeds their expectations, and explodes their paradigms, without even trying. His Holiness humbles them all, unintentionally, and in his basic straightforward simplicity, yet with profound and simple depth, exceeds the group's (and the viewers "expectations". The result has to be seen, no words can adequately describe it. It is truly remarkable and this film will stand as a lasting record of the 14th Dalai Lama, long after he is reincarnated again.
As I said, I wept with joy, and had to suppress it throughout this film (because my weeping and suppressed sobs surprised me so much).
They were tears of joy, and of relief: to see stark reinforcement of the reverence I hold his His Holiness in.
And they were also the tears you shed when you are laughing so much that tears stream down your face! The cosmic humor of it just overwhelmed me: like a glass of water that has water poured into it continually past overflowing! The color was beautifully saturated and the
Dalai Lama is not the only person that communicates some profound wisdom in this film. This is not a typical "journalistic documentary" nor a product of slavish Buddhist hero-worship. I highly recommend this motion picture to everyone.
The BEST documentary film on the Dalai Lama
2009-12-07 - I have watched many films and DVDs on the Dalai Lama, and this is simply the BEST, most transformational film with the Dalai Lama that I have ever seen, for these reasons:
1) You receive an intimate personal experience with the Dalai Lama, his words, his spirit and his wisdom. You experience the Dalai Lama up-close and personal, and his lessons and words of wisdom in this film are profound and uplift your mind and heart.
2) Not only does this film present inspiring moments with the Dalai Lama, but it also has a powerful cinematic documentary film with story and developing characters: It is a cinematic film that also presents a story of the transformation of Western revolutionary thinkers in the presence of the Dalai Lama. The cinematography is stunning and beautiful. While you watch the film, you feel as if you are going on this same journey of personal discovery with the characters.
3) You not only get to see the Dalai Lama in person, and hear his profound words of wisdom, you get to witness the IMPACT that he has on others. I read one reviewer write that this film presents "His Holiness in action." To best know a person, you need to not only hear his or her words, but you need to observe their actions as they interact with others. This film is so much more dynamic than a recorded speech of the Dalai Lama. You get to experience many facets of this incredible human being.
4) This is a film of many levels, and like any great film, you can experience it on many different levels: A) You can watch it, follow the story through many twists and unexpected turns, and laugh at the many funny moments in the film, especially at the humanness of the Westerners. B) You can listen and take in the profound wisdom of the Dalai Lama. C) You can witness the inner journey and transformation of the Westerners in the film, who go through their own transformation from ego-centereness to open-heartedness. D) Or more powerfully, you can open your mind and heart while you are watching the film, and let the film wash over you and go on a personal inner journey yourself. I have heard many times from a variety of people that this film acts like a mirror or reflection for those who watch it, and if you have the wisdom, openness and self-awareness to go on the journey in this film with these Western renaissance thinkers, then this film will impact you and reveal how your heart can be opened more, and you will be transformed and positively impacted, as I was.
5) This is not just a film, but it is an experience and adventure. Not only is the film funny, profound and beautiful, but it is a personal experience whereby the light of awareness is shined inside of you. This is not a film to watch while you are washing the dishes and speaking on the phone. This film will engage you, and will shine a light on the areas within yourself that you need to transform.
By the way, after I watched this film, I saw the second volume of this series, 'Dalai Lama Renaissance Vol. 2: A Revolution of Ideas,' which equally powerful.
Don't Miss It!....
2009-11-23 - A surprise ending indeed! You must watch to see the outcome! An excellent film that confirms that our instincts as humans is to want all the answers, or to think we have all the answers. This is a good insight into the heart and mind of the Dalai Lama who helps us to recognize that answers are not always attainable. We spend too much time thoughtlessely scrambing for answers. Sometimes reaching from within ourselves, rather than extending outward, provides the best perspective.
Profound experience of the Dalai Lama's teaching
2009-11-23 - This film documents events at a weeklong meeting held in Dharamsala, where the residence of the Dalai Lama in India is located. Some 40 intellectuals (from scientists over journalists to theologians) were invited to have a cross-disciplinary exchange of ideas and through synthesis of expertise make some suggestions for solving current world problems. For this reason they are called "the Synthesis group".
Coming with some experience in science and research myself, it was not hard to relate to people in the Synthesis group. For the most part of the movie, I was nodding in recognition of the individual personalities portrayed. Whether practical or romantic, eager or cautious, egotistic or altruistic, enthusiastic or sleepy... I have come across most of them many times in a similar setting of scientific meetings. Also, having been involved in many undertakings "from the ground up" in my life, I was also familiar with the practical difficulties that can arise when many people have a complete freedom to develop ideas in real time as a group.
So what unfolded during the actual Synthesis meeting was more sobering than surprising... to witness a group of very educated and smart people, that are obviously motivated, stumble so much in even talking to each other during just a few days!
What I haven't expected at all, but this movie uncovered, was a deeply hidden sadness within myself... Sadness from the realization that it is our "raw" behavior and lack of understanding that is preventing us from even getting started on solving problems of the world which could be tackled now with with means at hand, by application of compassion and cooperation that stems from it... Sadness that it is ourselves, "we the people", that can be a much bigger obstacle to our own and everyone's happiness than any external condition such as limited knowledge in scientific disciplines.
In the movie, we could witness the moments of similar realization by these eminent experts. They could see the true extent to which their personal embodiment of core human qualities influences the kind of projects for global humanity they are able to engage in practice. To most of them it seems to comes as a shocking and unexpected result - perhaps a further testimony of just how far the modern culture may lead us astray from the true path to ending suffering.
Yet, this did not seem to be a surprise at all for the Dalai Lama. Nor is he saddened by the way things are right now with the world. Upon learning of the failure of the attendees to reach the ambitious goals they set for themselves, he subtly reveals the actual lesson.
I was stunned at how far greater his wisdom and compassion for all people must be, greater than I ever imagined. To be able to understand limitations of many, be they simple villagers or prominent experts, children or elderly professors... to know the direction of the path of the heart but observe the multitude stumbling around because they believe for themselves they know better.... and still act only with kindness and deliver instruction without any condemnation. I have taken instruction from many learned people, but I have never experienced anything nearly so selfless.
Dalai Lama Renaissance - skillfully presented
2009-11-16 - Khashyar Darvich has done a skillful job in allowing us to be part of the group of highly-intelligent minds who gather to offer their thoughts and suggestions regarding the world's conditions to the Dalai Lama. The film gives the viewer a special insight into the delightful personality and brilliant mind of the master, who listens politely and thoughtfully to each of the participants.
It is fun, and humbling, to watch his interaction with the extremely intelligent, and often super ego-centric members of the conference, and to wonder what long-lasting impression his presence in their midst will make. The viewer feels a deep peace by "being in his presence," due to the work of Mr. Darvich.
