TASHI AND THE MONK

TASHI AND THE MONK
Released: 2014
Running Time: 40 min
Language: English, French subtitles, NTSC
Subjects: Children, Youth and Family, Asian Studies, Religious Studies
Includes: Interview with Lobsang Phuntsok | Interview with the filmmakers | Directors' Commentary | Additional Scenes | Short films about Jhamtse Gatsal

Released: 2014
Running Time: 40 min
Language: English, French subtitles, NTSC
Subjects: Children, Youth and Family, Asian Studies, Religious Studies
Includes: Interview with Lobsang Phuntsok | Interview with the filmmakers | Directors' Commentary | Additional Scenes | Short films about Jhamtse Gatsal

Nestled deep within the foothills of the Himalayas, Jhamtse Gatsai is one of the most extraordinary and inspiring communities you're likely to witness. It's led by Buddhist Monk Lobsang, a renowned spiritual teacher who works to create a reality of love and acceptance for children who have been abused or orphaned. Tashi and the Monk follows that mission as it relates to one of the newest arrivals to his commune - a reluctant five-year old girl who's endured unimaginable neglect and tragedy during her brief life. By the time Tashi enters the community, she has suffered the death of her mother and abandonment by her alcoholic father. The youngest resident, she is ill-tempered and aggressive with many of her adolescent co-habitants.

Lobsang's approach does not rely on professional psychologists, prescription medications or any of the often misguided remedies set forth by modern medicine. He's more interested in building an environment that nourishes the soul. With tremendous patience and a graceful, calming manner, he empowers Tashi and the more than 80 additional children under his counsel to appreciate the gift that is their lives. He infuses them with a generosity of spirit and a shared sense of purpose, and unlocks within them an awareness of their own potential.

Tashi's journey is intercut with scenes of Lobsang as he rallies the support of his teenaged residents to act as mentors to the newcomers, and as he gently declines the pleas of several families who beg for his assistance with their own wayward children. He's operating on limited resources, and he cannot jeopardize the delicate sanctity of the environment he's cultivated. We learn of the struggles he suffered through his own suppressive upbringing, and his initial inspirations for creating the commune after serving under the tutelage of the Dalai Lama.

From the splendid photography of its awe-inspiring natural setting to its appealing musical score, the technical aspects of the film are uniformly impressive. But the beating heart of Tashi and the Monk - and the reason why it will linger with viewers long after its conclusion - is the rare opportunity to see a child find her hope again. It's a touching tribute to the transformative power of compassion.

Directed by: Andrew Hinton, Johnny Burke

On a remote mountaintop of the Himalayas sits Jhamtse Gatsal (Tibetan for “The Garden of Love and Compassion”), a special school and home for 85 abandoned and neglected children.

Founded by former Buddhist monk Lobsang Phunstok, who trained under the Dalai Lama, this unique community gives boys and girls the chance to escape extreme poverty and grow up in an environment where they are free to be themselves and dream about their future.

The inspiring documentary Tashi and the Monk tells the story of Lobsang, whose own dark childhood led him to create this safe haven, and his newest arrival, feisty five-year-old Tashi, who was neglected and abandoned by her parents. It shows how kindness and empathy can transform lives, spotlighting one man’s altruistic vision and the journey of one troubled child who, with the help of a supportive community, is able to overcome her past and start anew.

Directed by Andrew Hinton and Johnny Burke, Tashi and the Monk won the 2016 Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Documentary and has won 26 festival prizes including the International Documentary Association’s Best Short and Pare Lorentz Awards.