International Buddhist Film Festival returns to London

The programme for the festival - which takes place in different cities around the world annually - will include the UK premieres of Nepali feature Karma about a nun who must travel from her remote nunnery to Katmandu in a bid to save her nunnery and Thai-UK director Tom Waller’s adaptation of novel Mindfulness And Murder.

Also screening is Japanese feature film, Abraxas about a former punk musician turned Buddhist monk who attempts to find nirvana by giving one last performance.

Documentaries include the UK premiere of David Grubin’s The Buddha narrated by Richard Gere and the European premiere of Johanna Demetrakas’ Crazy Wisdom which explores the life and teachings of Chogyam Trungpa [pictured], a pivotal figure in bringing Tibetan Buddhism to the West and the “bad boy” of the Buddhist world.

Gesar Mukpo’s documentary about Chogyam Trungpa’s son, Tulku, who was identified as the reincarnation of one of his father’s own teachers when he was just three years old, will also be screening at the festival.

The festival, which last took place in London in 2009, will also include a special Spotlight on Burma.

“We are delighted to be returning to London with a wonderful new selection of world cinema with a Buddhist touch,” said Gaetano Kazuo Maida, executive director of IBFF.  

The festival is being held in conjunction with the Buddhist Art Forum at the Courtauld Institute of Art at Somerset House.