A 40-minute film covering the history and culture of Sri Lanka, and looking at the ancient capital of Anuradhapura, and moving on to Ritigala, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and finally the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy.
Arnaud Desjardins: The Message of the Tibetans 2, Tantrism
The second of Arnaud Desjardin’s films about Tibetan Buddhism in which he looks more closely at the religious side of the culture, with an examination of the rites and rituals, yogic practices and meditation involved in Tantric Buddhism.
Arnaud Desjardins: The Message of the Tibetans 1, Buddhism
In 1964 and 1965 the French filmmaker Arnaud Desjardins gained access to the Tibetan community in exile, in the first filming of their life and culture allowed by the Dalai Lama since going into exile, which was compiled into two films which I will be showing over the next couple of weeks.
Bodies Donated to Science and Monks
Contemplation of the charnel grounds and giving gifts to others are two of the ways the Buddha recommended to overcome selfishness. Here are some reflections on the subject, followed by today’s documentary which is about people who donate their bodies to medical science.
The Boy Who Lived Before
Film about a boy in Scotland who can remember with uncanny accuracy the details of a previous life and his visit to his old ‘home’.
Sikkim (1971) – A Film by Satyajit Ray
Here is a wonderful film by one of my favorite film-makers, Satyajit Ray, about the land, people and culture of Sikkim, made in 1971 while Sikkim was still a sovereign state.
The Genius of Photography 6: Snap Judgements
The sixth episode in this series looks at the way photography has been commodified, just like modern art in general has.
The Genius of Photography 4: Paper Movies
This week’s episode looks at the way photographers found their own terrain on the streets of the cities, the highways and beaches of the post-war world.
The Genius of Photography 3: Right Time, Right Place
This week’s episode is about the evolution of photojournalism, from its beginnings with the Frenchman, Henri Cartier-Bresson, one of the great photographers of the 20th century, up and to the coverage of the aftermath of 9/11.
