Buddhist Inner Path Festival Begins Today

2017 Festival of Buddhist films, art and philosophy kicks off today.

Teamwork Arts is proud to present The Inner Path (TIP), a festival of Buddhist films, art and philosophy from April 7th – 11th, 2017 at the Alliance Française de Delhi.

Buddhist Inner Path Festival Begins Today[/tweetthis]

The Inner Path Festival will showcase international Buddhist films[/tweetit] in the presence of many of their directors, a curated exhibition of Buddhist art, discourses by eminent Buddhist scholars and practitioners such as the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa, Venerable Mingyur Rinpoche and Dipankr Khanna and engaging panel discussions.

“In 2012 we started the first festival of Buddhist films, art and philosophy in India. Festivals of Buddhist films are now held all over the world and I was convinced that the time was right for us to do it in India.” Aruna Vasudev, Founder Director TIP

“With increasing curiosity – especially among the young – about Buddhism, it is time to look at its manifold aspects in today’s context. ‘The Inner Path’ Festival will help connect your inner being with the evocative in contemporary art forms such as films, photography and design, as well poetry and live performances.” -Sanjoy Roy, Producer TIP/ MD, Teamwork Arts

As Buddhism takes strides across India and the world, it is becoming clearer by the day that both the message and the practice of Buddhism are entering the consciousness of people. Buddhism can address the growing sense of inadequacy in the face of changes that people find difficult to cope with. Buddhism stands for peace, understanding, and acceptance as it spreads the message of compassion and happiness.

The mélange of films, art, performances and philosophical dialogues by known practitioners and scholars will bring out the essence of Buddhism. We hope that at the end of the Festival you will emerge enriched and at ease with the outer and your inner world.

The highlights of the 4th edition, for which Aruna Vasudev has joined hands with Teamwork Arts, include acclaimed films such as:

Dalai Lama the 14th: The World Champion of Peace
directed by Fujiro Mitsuishi, Japan

Akong: A Remarkable Life
(Chico Dall’Inha, UK)

An inspirational story about the life of a well-respected Tibetan Buddhist Lama, Akong Rinpoche.

Mount of Excellence
(Shivajee Chandrabhushan, India)

A film that connects the Maitreya Buddha emanation Guru Padmasambhava, to the present day 12th Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa Rinpoche and the Palpung Sherabling Monastic seat hidden in the folds of the heady pine forests in Himachal Pradesh in India.

Painting Peace: The Art and Life of Kazuaki
Tanahashi (Babeth VanLoo, The Netherlands)

About the life and work of the eighty-year-old Berkeley-based Japanese Zen teacher, translator, artist and activist, known as much for his extraordinary calligraphy works as for his masterful translations of the 13th century Zen innovator, Dogen.

Rangzen
(Gaurav Saxena, India)

A beautiful short film that tells the story of a 9-year-old Tibetan boy’s discovery of his exiled refugee identity.

One Mind
(Edward A. Burger, USA)

A rare cinematic portrait of life inside one of China’s most austere and revered Zen communities.

Tashi and the Monk
(Andrew Hinton &Johnny Burke)

This much-acclaimed film tells the story of Former Buddhist monk Lobsang Phuntsok extraordinary efforts for the creation of a unique community rescuing orphaned and neglected children.

Golden Kingdom
(Brian Perkins, USA)

Merged with elements of ethnographic documentary, this film opens insights into a previously unseen Myanmar that is transforming by the moment.

It will be a privilege to screen most of these films in the presence of their directors.

The Exhibition curated by Anubhav Nath will present works by Satish Gupta, Shakti Maira, Vineet Kacker, Aditya Arya, Jamyang Dorje Chakrishar, Ladakhi painters Chemat Dorje and Manisha Ahmad, photography by Quentin Devers, Santosh Kumar Das and Harsha.

The festival will open on 7 April, 2017 at the Alliance Française de Delhi with an Art Exhibition at 5:30 pm and will be followed by a dance performance of the 5 Wisdom Dakinis and the screening of the opening film One Mind in the presence of its director Edward A. Burger.

At the Closing Ceremony of the 4th edition of The Inner Path that will take place in the Stein Auditorium at the India Habitat Centre on 11 April 2017, eminent scholar, Prof. Lokesh Chandra, will release a CD of poems written by His Holiness the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa. The poems will be sung live in his august presence. The programme will conclude with the screening of the film Mount of Excellence, directed by Shivajee Chandrabhushan. 

Dr. Aruna Vasudev founded Cinemaya the Asian Film Quarterly in 1988 at a time when Asian cinema was little known. She went on to form the NETPAC, Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema, the international body which came into being 20 years ago, when UNESCO asked Cinemaya to organize a conference on Asian cinema. She remains the President of NETPAC International as well as NETPAC India. In 1999 she launched Cinefan, the Cinemaya Festival of Asian Films. It was presented by NETPAC India for five years and then by Osian until 2009.

She is an author and film writer with a PhD from the University of Paris. She has made a number of short and documentary films before turning to writing on cinema. She is the author of two books on Indian cinema and the editor and co-editor of several books on Indian and Asian cinema. She has won a number of awards for her work and has been a member, or president, of more than 40 international juries.

About Teamwork Arts

For over 25 years, Teamwork Arts has taken India to the world and brought the world to India, presenting the finest of Indian performers, writers and visual artists in the cultural and art space in India and abroad. Every year, we produce 25 performing and visual arts and literary festivals in 11 countries, including Australia, Canada, Egypt, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Israel, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, the UK and USA.

Teamwork Arts produces the world’s largest free literary gatherings, the annual Jaipur Literature Festival, the Ishara International Puppet Festival in New Delhi, the annual Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) Festival, the international festivals Shared History in South Africa, India by the Nile in Egypt, Eye on India in the United States of America, India by the Bay in Hong Kong, and many more.

The Festival is supported by Alliance Française, New Delhi.

For further media queries, kindly contact:
Richivandana Gogoi, richivandana.vty@gmail.com, 9643231090
Pooja Gulati, pooja.vty@gmail.com, 9810462407
Margaret Chinggoulun, margaret.vty@gmail.com, 8447044307

Resources

Follow the Conversation on Twitter