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Buddhist films and discussion for the Tricycle Community
Film Club Archive
Where does creativity come from? The documentary Moving from Emptiness explores this question by profiling the life and work of influential Zen calligraphic painter and art teacher Alok Hsu Kwang-han. Armed with rice paper, ink, a brush, and a collection of Zen teachings, Alok helps his students access their own creativity.
The Legacy of Menla tells the tale of three Indian women diagnosed with cancer who, flouting the wishes of their friends, families, and doctors, eschew Western medical advice to instead follow an ancient form of treatment: traditional Tibetan medicine.
Tharlo is a Tibetan shepherd who lives a secluded life in the mountains. But after spending a night at a karaoke bar in town with a young hairdresser named Yangsto, his simple existence is turned upside down. Directed by renowned filmmaker Pema Tseden, Tharlo depicts the struggle of a man—one with little experience with the vices of smoking, drinking, and casual sex—in love with someone very different from himself.
Pad Yatra: A Green Odyssey documents the journey of 700 eco-pilgrims who undertake an arduous 450-mile trek across the Himalayas in the name of environmental preservation. Despite subzero temperatures and dangerous conditions, the hikers, led by H.H. the Gyalwang Drukpa, collect half a ton of plastic litter, plant over 50,000 trees, and educate local villagers.
In Kyauk Myaung, a Burmese village on the banks of the Irrawaddy River, humble street vendor Soe Ko wishes to marry Saing Ko, a quiet mason from a nearby town—but same-sex love is still forbidden by law. Irrawady Mon Amour tells the story of a young gay couple who, with the aid of LGBT activists, Buddhist monks, and village housewives, fight for their right to love and marry in a country struggling to redefine itself in the wake of a brutal totalitarian regime.
For centuries, the inhabitants of Namdok, a village nestled in the Upper Mustang region of Nepal, have lived without electricity, relying on sparse candlelight through cold and windy nights. Despite limited resources, local activist Tashi Bista is determined to bring light to the remote village by installing a makeshift wind turbine.
