Director: Mickey Lemle
Country: USA
Year: 2018
In Mickey Lemle’s new award-winning documentary, The Last Dalai Lama?, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, takes a look at his legacy as he enters the ninth decade of his life. Rather than presenting a linear story, the film offers an endearing, candid portrait of the Tibetan leader’s life by weaving together historical photos, rare interviews with an all-star cast—including Thupten Jinpa, Matthieu Ricard, and Daniel Goleman—and archival footage from Lemle’s 1992 biopic, Compassion in Exile.
Whether the Dalai Lama is paying a visit to classrooms in British Columbia where students are engaging in “heart-mind” learning, reflecting on his dramatic escape from Tibet to India in 1959, or discussing his daily meditation practice and personal aspirations, the film does not shy away from asking questions that are top-of-mind for many. One question in particular lingers throughout: Will there be a 15th Dalai Lama? The answer may not be clear-cut, but Lemle’s film provides viewers with plenty of food for thought.