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"Dalai Lama Renaissance" has its U.S. theatrical premiere on May 23 at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco

 

“Dalai Lama Renaissance”, narrated by Harrison Ford, Premieres Theatrically in U.S. on May 23

Documentary is the first theatrical film about the Dalai Lama in U.S. since international spotlight on China and Tibet

“What the Bleep Do We Know” Physicists Fred Alan Wolf and Amit Goswami, Michael Beckwith from “The Secret”, and Air America radio host Thom Hartmann are among those appearing.

LOS ANGELES (RUSHPRNEWS) May 7, 2008 – “Dalai Lama Renaissance” (www.DalaiLamaFilm.com), an award-winning 80 minute documentary film narrated by actor Harrison Ford, holds its U.S. theatrical premiere on May 23 in San Francisco.

“Dalai Lama Renaissance,” produced and directed by Khashyar Darvich, is the first film about the Dalai Lama and Tibet to open theatrically in the United States since the international spotlight placed on China for its firm handling of Tibetan protestors speaking out against Chinese policies in Tibet.

San Francisco recently experienced protests over the running of the Olympic torch in the city, a few months before the Summer Olympic Games, which are scheduled to begin in Beijing on August 8.

In the documentary, the Dalai Lama discusses the calls for economic sanctions against China, and emphasizes that he could not support economic sanctions towards China since it would hurt the ordinary Chinese poor.

The film features two of the starring quantum physicists from the hit theatrical documentary “What the Bleep Do We Know,” Physicists Fred Alan Wolf and Amit Goswami. Also appearing in “Dalai Lama Renaissance” are Michael Beckwith (who appears in the film “The Secret” with Wolf), Air America radio host Thom Hartmann, and others.

The film tells the story of 40 Western innovative thinkers who travel to India in the Himalayan Mountains to meet with the Dalai Lama to solve many of the world’s problems. What happened was surprising and unexpected, and was captured by a five camera, and an eighteen person crew.

“Dalai Lama Renaissance” opens one day after the premiere of Harrison Ford’s “Indiana Jones 4,” which opens internationally on May 22, and is only among a small handful of documentaries that Ford has chosen to narrate during his career.

"I narrated Dalai Lama Renaissance,” says Harrison Ford, “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.”

In 1995, Ford spoke to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee about Chinese policy in Tibet:

Ford told the Congressional panel: “The Tibetan struggle is no ordinary freedom struggle. It is a path of non-violence. As an American who cares deeply about justice, freedom and democracy, I can tell you that this is a cause that touches at the core of our own values. It is about the survival of a people who seek only to democratically determine their own government, to have the freedom to practice their own religion without interference, and to bring up their children in a safe environment where they can be proud of their unique heritage.”

“Dalai Lama Renaissance” premieres theatrically in the United States on May 23 in San Francisco at the Roxie Theater, and in Santa Fe, New Mexico at the Santa Fe Film Center. On May 29, the film screens theatrically at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado, and then begins a theatrical run in Portland in June. It is expected to play in several additional cities across the U.S.

On October 8, the film opens theatrically in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and will be released in Holland and Belgium in November. It is expected to be released in several other countries around the world before the end of the year.

“Dalai Lama Renaissance” has won 12 film festival awards, and is the official selection of 38 film festivals around the world, where it consistently has attracted sold out audiences.

 

 

 

 

March 21, 2008:

 

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" to be released theatrically in Germany by HORIZON Film GmbH

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

 

Friday March 21, 2008

BERLIN – The feature documentary film about the Dalai Lama, “Dalai Lama Renaissance” (narrated by Harrison Ford), is being theatrically released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland by distributor Horizon Film Gmbh, during the second half of 2008. It is also receiving a U.S. Theatrical release this year.

There is a historic moment in “Dalai Lama Renaissance” where the Dalai Lama considers and discusses the idea of economic sanctions against China for the first time on camera. And yet, he emphasizes that he would not support economic action that would hurt the ordinary Chinese people.

"Dalai Lama Renaissance (www.DalaiLamaFilm.com) has won 10 awards at film festivals around the world, and is the official selection of 35 international film festivals. It is screened for sold out festival audiences throughout the world.

The 80 minute documentary tells the story of forty of the world’s most innovative thinkers who travel to India in the Himalayan Mountains to meet with the Dalai Lama to solve many of the world’s problems. What happened was surprising and unexpected. Narrated by actor Harrison Ford, the film also features Quantum Physicists Fred Alan Wolf and Amit Gowami from “What the Bleep Do We Know,” and Michel Beckwith and Fred Alan Wolf from “the Secret.”

"I narrated ‘Dalai Lama Renaissance,’” says Harrison Ford, “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.” Ford is also starring in “Indian Jones 4,” which is directed by Stephen Spielberg and will be released on May 22, 2008.

After one of Producer-Director Khashyar Darvich’s interviews with the Dalai Lama, the Dalai Lama affirmed Darvich’s and Wakan Films’ motivations in producing films-- “Yes I like your questions,” the Dalai Lama told Darvich, as the two were standing together talking after the interview. “Certainly, your effort can make some contribution—there’s no doubt.”

Horizon Film also distributed the film "What the Bleep Do We Know" and "The Secret" in Germany. Horizon Film concentrates on distributing two or three films per year in Germany, and only films that they feel passionately about, says Horizon Films President Udo Grube.

There is also strong interest and offers from several other foreign distributors to release "Dalai Lama Renaissance" in other territories throughout the world.

 

 

 

 

March 18, 2008:

 

NEW "Dalai Lama Renaissance" Online Community

 

We just created a new community discussion forum section where you can share your thoughts about "Dalai Lama Renaissance," the Dalai Lama, Tibet, the Tibet-China issue, and anything else that relates to "Dalai Lama Renaissance" or the Dalai Lama. Please feel free to register and begin sharing your thoughts, opinions and ideas: http://dalailamafilm.com/community

 

January 28, 2008:

 

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" plays to sold out audiences, and wins its 9th film festival award:

 

 

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" plays to sold out audiences at Minnesota's Frozen River Film Festival, and wins the festivals sole People's Choice Award.

The film was the opening night film at the festival, and the opening night screening filled the theater as about 1,000 audience members watched the film that night.

Because of the popularity of "Dalai Lama Renaissance" at the festival, and as a result of audience requests, "Dalai Lama Renaissance" was scheduled for two additional screenings for a total of three. The second screening of the film was also sold out, with audiences choosing to sit on the floor in the isles of the theater so that they could watch the fiilm.

 

December 15, 2007:

 

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" wins TWO more film festival awards:

    

 

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" has won two more film festival awards within the past week, bringing the total number of awards won to 8 film festival awards since June 2007.

“Dalai Lama Renaissance” recently won:

1) Grand Jury Special Prize at the Barbados International Film Festival in the island nation of Barbados.

2) At the Monaco International Film Festival in Monte Carlo, Monaco, we were surprised to learn that "Dalai Lama Renaissance" won a second award at the festival. Along with the Best Documentary Film Award, which we were informed about in advance, the film also won the festival's Peace Award for film.

 

October 12, 2007:

 

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" wins FOUR festival award in one week.

 

The film has won four festival awards within the past week, three awards within the past two days, and a total of six festival awards won since June 2007.

This morning, we learned that “Dalai Lama Renaissance” has won:

1) Audience Award – Best Documentary Film at the Moondance International Film Festival at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. This is the second award that we won at that festival (along with a Best Feature documentary Award there).

2) At the Global Peace Film Festival in Koshinomiyako, Japan, our film won the "KoshinoMiyako Award". “Dalai Lama Renaissance” was the only non-Asian film to win an award at the festival.

Less than a week ago, “Dalai Lama Renaissance” also won:

3) Best Documentary Film Award at the Monaco International Film Festival in Monte Carlo (the film was only one of seven films invited to attend the festival).

4) Best Feature Award at the Canada International Film Festival (this means that “Dalai Lama Renaissance” was judged as the best feature length film from among all of the narrative and documentary feature length films).

 

October 7, 2007:

 

Review of "Dalai Lama Renaissance" - Kyoto Journal

The "Tibet Within" – DALAI LAMA RENAISSANCE – at Global Peace Film Festival Japan Oct 5-7

by Jean Miyake Downey, Kyoto Journal

DALAI LAMA RENAISSANCE will be one of the films screened at the Global Peace Film Festival Japan Oct 5-7 in Koshinomiyako. The trailer is wonderful to view, if you can't get to one of the festivals showing this film.

This is a revelatory documentary about the "Everyman" journey from egocentric consciousness to something more sublime. The film follows forty global experts in their fields who traveled to Dharamsala to advise the Dalai Lama. The first scenes reveal a hilariously clashing hootenanny of mild-mannered Engaged Buddhists, solemn Catholics, gabby physicists intent on demonstrating the convergence of quantum physics with ultimate reality, New Agers dressed in purple, social change visionaries, and progressive economists, all engaged in "synthesizing" and "witnessing" brain-storming to collect all their brilliant ideas to present to the fourteenth Dalai Lama. This well-educated and well-mannered group then revolted against their endlessly patient facilitators, in a gray-haired inverse variation of the "Lord of the Flies." Throughout the chaos that ensued, each player was shown as confronting her or his own ego, as much as they confronted the facilitators and fellow participants. Their conflicts with each other, and most of all, with their own egos were actually uplifting, as they struggled to be truthful and respectful while their "bubbling over" clashed with the facilitators' attempts to create some order out of the unwieldy explosion of dialogue.

Then something broke open.

Tenzin Gyatso, who kept referred to himself as nothing but a "simple monk," spoke." And, what he said, and the way he said it sounded like a clear, clear bell that shattered all the clashing mental abstractions, and brought attention back to the human level... I thought I was viewing a shaktipat moment as I saw the transformations of the participants simply becoming more of who they really are, as whatever was obscuring their inner radiance fell away. i actually felt as if I was feeling some of that myself, as if these wonderful shaktipat energies were emanating from the small movie screen I was watching, to me, my friend who was watching with me, and all the people around us.

Compassion. Joy. Happiness. Even while suffering in participation and/or witness with and struggling to address the world's problems.

This is a beautiful and fresh window on the Dalai Lama, and what we in the world who care can do for Tibet and Tibetans. Before the film started, I was apprehensive I would hear all the same-old records about the plight of Tibetan Buddhists, and although I support the Dalai Lama's and all Tibetans cause, from the bottom of my heart, I can't help but partly tune out when I hear the worn-out views. However, this film was startlingly original. I know so many of Tenzin Gyatso's words by heart by now, but in this documentary, it all sounded so new to me, as if hearing his wisdom for the first time.

To share with my media friends, I wrote what the Dalai Lama said media people ought to aim for in their writing: "to promote clearly basic human values." He spoke about supporting and loving Chinese people, at the same time supporters of Tibet encourage the Chinese government to open to rapprochement towards a win-win solution for Tibetans and Chinese. It's not either-or, except at the level of egocentricity, in his view. As Einstein said, we can't solve problems at the same level of consciousness that created them.

Some of the participants talked about the importance of our getting in touch with our "Inner Tibets." I disagreed with the view that we have a choice of addressing either an 'inner" or "outer" Tibet. I have always believed that profound personal journeys go in both directions, and I see many "Tibets" throughout the world, as well as within every person.

My friend Morley Robertson also talks about the 'Tibet Within" in an original, fresh, and beautiful way at his start-up experimental multiple media (video, music, and diary) blog on travels through Tibet, TIBETRONICA:

"This web site "Tibetronica" will also be a journey along the time axis. Various ideas will evolve from scratch and become embodied through experimentation and research, finally into a complete (or incomplete) piece. I aim to make the entire process as transparent as I can. Trying to break away from clichés and my own preconceptions about Tibet, I will carry on with my experiments.

"The early phase of this project will be an attempt to travel to the 'Tibet within'. If there is indeed a secret land inside, I would like to look for it, before I leave home for the Tibet that is far away."

The journey and film also reminded me of Rodger Kamenetz' The Jew in the Lotus, his allegorical account of the 1990 pilgrimage that a group of American Jewish leaders made to Dharamsala to advise the Dalai Lama on how to support the survival of Tibetans and Tibetan culture in indefinite exile. Their archetypal journey led to much more than the ostensible goals they were seeking, as well, for both the Tibetans and the Jewish teachers involved, and for so many who were touched by the ripple effects of their experience. Kamenetz himself has morphed from a nervous on-the-sidelines chronicler of the Tibetan-Jewish pilgrimage to a guide of the inner pilgrimage, in his new book released this fall, The History of Last Night's Dream, a luminous book infused with Tibetan, kabbalistic, and Jungian wisdom, also with fascinating reader input gleaned from Rodger's wonderful blog, Talking Dream.

Om mani padme hum.

 

click here for original article

 

September 23, 2007:

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" wins TWO "BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM" film festival awards within one week in September

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" won a "Best Feature Documentary Film" award at the Moondance International Film Festival at Universal Studios in Los Angeles on September 9.

One week later, "Dalai Lama Renaissance" won the "Audience Award- Best Documentary" at the Big Bear International Film Festival in Big Bear, California, on September 16.

 

September 16, 2007:

52nd Cork Film Festival (in Ireland) accepts "DLR" to their Film Festival (October 14-21, 2007)

The 52nd Cork Film Festival (in Ireland - www.corkfilmfest.org ) has accepted "Dalai Lama Renaissance" to their festival this year (October 14-21). The Cork Film Festival is the largest and most prestigious film festival in Ireland, and an internationally respected and recognized showcase for world cinema.

September 16, 2007:

Taos Mountain Film Festival (in New Mexico) accepts "DLR" to their Film Festival (October 5-7, 2007)

The Taos Mountain Film Festival (in New Mexico - www.mountainfilm.net ) has accepted "Dalai Lama Renaissance" to their festival this year (October 5-7).

August 30, 2007:

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" sells out its four screenings at the Montreal World Film Festival

All four of "Dalai Lama Renaissance"'s screenings at the Montreal World Film Festival were sold out. The Festival Box Office had to turn away several people who wanted to see the film, and we are told that it will probably be one of only a handful of films to receive an additional TBA on the very last day of the festival.

After the screenings, I was told by audience members during the Q&A that there were several people who were touched and had tears running down their face. 

 

August 27, 2007:

Review of "Dalai Lama Renaissance" - Montreal World Film Festival

by John Griffin, Montreal Gazette

MONTREAL WORLD FILM FESTIVAL - Khashyar Darvich is another serene soul at the fest. Though punchy from the red-eye from L.A. with his co-editor, Robert McFalls, the director-producer of Dalai Lama Renaissance radiates mindful thinking. Maybe it's the subject.

Darvich's fascinating, ravishingly beautiful and sonically soothing documentary concerns a journey made by 40 innovative Western thinkers to the Dalai Lama's home in the Indian Himalayas just before the new millennium. Their mission was nothing less than synthesizing new ways to fix the world. What unfolds isn't what they expected, but what His Holiness had figured all along. Ego. It's a bitch.

Intercut with the New Age-y speech and cat fights are genuine unassuming pearls of wisdom delivered by the chuckling, child-like Dalai Lama, and some accounts of events that led him into exile after the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1951. Together, they make a provocative, even enlightening, film.

"I had done an earlier interview with the Dalai Lama and was recommended to this group. I had less than eight weeks to find a crew of 18, secure financing, and make the hard trip through India in the rainy season to a place where the power went out every five hours."

Miraculously, Darvich shot 140 hours of film which he and McFalls whittled down to 80 minutes. Harrison Ford narrates.

"Everyone has the ability to make the world better. The only way this film was worth all the time and effort was to have it serve humanity and the world."

Dalai Lama Renaissance screens at Quartier Latin today at 4 p.m. and tomorrow at 5:40 p.m.

click here for scanned image of original article from newspaper

click here for original article

 

July 20, 2007:

Montreal World Film Festival accepts "DLR" to their Film Festival (August 23 - Sept 3, 2007)

The Montreal World Film Festival (www.ffm-montreal.org), has accepted "Dalai Lama Renaissance" to their festival this year (August 23 - September 3, 2007). The Montreal World Film Festival is the third largest film festival in the world, with over 350,000 audience members attending the festival. "Dalai Lama Renaissance" is scheduled for four screenings, on August 25, 26, 27 and 28.

July 16, 2007:

Rome International Film Festival accepts "DLR" to their Film Festival (September 6-9, 2007))

The Rome International Film Festival (www.riff.tv - Rome, Georgia), has accepted "Dalai Lama Renaissance" to their festival this year (September 6-9, 2007)

July 16, 2007:

Queens International Film Festival (in NY) accepts "DLR" to their Film Festival (November 8-11, 2007)

The Queens International Film Festival (in New York - www.queensfilmfestival.com ) has accepted "Dalai Lama Renaissance" to their festival this year (November 8-11).

 

July 16, 2007:

Global Peace Film Festivals in Orlando, FL and Japan accept "DLR" to their Film Festival

The Global Peace Film Festivals (www.peacefilmfest.org) in both Orlando, Florida (September 26-30, 2007) and Koshinomiyako, Japan (October 5 - 7, 2007), have accepted "Dalai Lama Renaissance" to their festivals .

 

 

June 23, 2007:

Rhode Island International Film Festival accepts "DLR" to their festival (August 7 - 12, 2007)

The Rhode Island International Film Festival (www.film-festival.org) has accepted "Dalai Lama Renaissance" to their 2007 film festival (August 7-12).

Chris Gore, author of The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide, says of the festival:

 "One of the top 10 Short Film Festivals and Top 10 International Film Festivals in the United States. The RIIFF provides the kind of intimate festival experience that will change your life. Don’t miss it. "

It is the largest film festival in New England (Northeast United States), with over 22,000 audience members attending.

June 7, 2007:

Sedona Film Festival accepts "DLR" to their festival (February 27 - March 2, 2008)

The Sedona Film Festival (www.sedonafilmfestival.com) has accepted "Dalai Lama Renaissance" to their 2008 film festival.

June 1, 2007:

Frozen River Film Festival accepts "DLR" to their Film Festival (January 24-27, 2008)

The festival directors of the "Frozen River Film Festival" (www.frff.org/) near St. Paul, Minnesota saw the film at the Telluride MountainFilm Festival, felt inspired and moved, and invited me to personally present "Dalai Lama Renaissance" at their festival in January 2008. The festival attracts an audience of over 3,000. The festival takes place from January 24-27, 2008

April 29, 2007:

Prestigious FilmFest Munich (FilmFest Muenchen) accepts "DLR" into their 2007 festival

FilmFest Muenchen (FilmFest Munich - http://www.filmfest-muenchen.de/ ) accepts "Dalai Lama Renaissance" into their prestigious 2007 film festival, which takes place from June 22-30, 2007.

A list of some of the prominent celebrities and industry people who have attended or have been featured at the FilmFest Muenchen (which is Germany’s leading summer film festival that attracted over 65,000 movie goers, and over 600 international journalists), includes:

George Lucas (Director); Robert De Niro (Actor); Leonardo DiCaprio (Actor); Salma Hayek (Actress); Quentin Tarrantino  (Director); Barry Levinson (Director); Spike Lee (Director); Roman Polanski (Director); Jean-Luc Goddard (Director); Susan Sarandon (Actress); Robert Rodriguez (Director); Mike Figgis (Director); Wim Wenders (Director); Werner Herzog (Director); Terry Gilliam; Audrey Hepburn (Actress); Milos Forman (Director); Roger Corman (Director); Robert Wise (Director); Ron Bass (Screenwriter); Jacqueline Bisset (Actress); Maximilian Schell (Actor); Barbara Hershey (Actress); John Milius (Director); Jennifer Beals (Actress);  

April 28, 2007:

Quantum Physicist Fred Alan Wolf and Evolutionary Biologist Elisabet Sahtouris to attend premiere "DLR" screening at Telluride Mountain Film on May 26, 2007 at 10:30 a.m.

Quantum Physicist and Author Fred Alan Wolf, and Evolutionary Biologist and Author Elisabet Sahtouris, will attend the festival premiere of "Dalai Lama Renaissance" at the Telluride Mountain Film Festival on May 26, 2007 at 10:30 a.m., at the historic Nugget Theater in downtown Telluride. (The film festival's schedule is posted here: http://mountainfilm.org/festival/2007/schedule/saturday.html 

Also appearing in-person at the festival are: Producer-Director Khashyar Darvich, Co-Producer David Mueller, and other characters featured in "Dalai Lama Renaissance."

April 18, 2007:

Telluride MountainFilm Festival premieres "Dalai Lama Renaissance"

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" will have it's film festival premiere at the Telluride MountainFilm Festival (www.mountainfilm.org) in Telluride, Colorado on Saturday May 26, 2006. There will a Q&A after the screening, and we anticipate another screening of the film to be schedule on Monday May 28.

We are also submitting the film to several other prominent world festivals.

February 19, 2007:

Newspaper and news websites around the world mention "Dalai Lama Renaissance" documentary

The February 19, 2007, newspapers and online news agencies around the world published an article (from a news feed of the "Indo-Asian News Service") that mentions the "Dalai Lama Renaissance" documentary. Here is one example that was published in the Hindustan Times:

"In 1999, legendary director Martin Scorsese made a film on him - "In search of Kundun" - and this year has seen the release of another documentary "Dalai Lama Renaissance" with a narration by actor Harrison Ford."

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5967_1931728,001600060001.htm

February 14, 2007:

"DLR" Producer-Director Khashyar Darvich interviewed in the "European Documentary Portal"

An interview with "Dalai Lama Renaissance" Producer-Director Khashyar Darvich has been published in the "European Documentary Portal (www.documentaryportal.com). The interview contains a few questions and answers about the film, and can be found here:

http://www.documentaryportal.com/2007/02/14/new-dalai-lama-documentary-in-production/

February 11, 2007:

Most popular Harrison Ford website posts articles about "Dalai Lama Renaissance"

HarrisonFordWeb, the most popular Harrison Ford website, posts article on their front about "Dalai Lama Renaissance," and Harrison Ford's narration of the film. The HarrisonFordWeb.com discussion forum has also opened discussion threads about the documentary. "Dalai Lama Renaissance" is also listed on IMDB.com (www.imdb.com/title/tt0953363/), and Wikipedia.

http://www.harrisonfordweb.com/

January 28, 2007:

Producing separate Dalai Lama Talks DVD

 We have decided to produce a companion DVD of talks of the Dalai Lama from our trip to India filming "Dalai Lama Renaissance." There was so many talks by His Holiness the Dalai Lama that we could not possibly fit in the documentary, that we decided to create a companion DVD to share those positive moments with everyone who was not able to be there in person. 

Producing CD of the soundtrack to "Dalai Lama Renaissance"

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" documentary Sound Designer and Music Producer Michel Tyabji is Producing a Music CD soundtrack companion to the "Dalai Lama Renaissance" documentary, that is expected to be released internationally about the middle of this year (2007).

 
 
 

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