10 Questions for the Dalai Lama

Some 20 years ago, yoga, Buddhism, vegetarianism, meditation, and Yanni were all considered “New Age.” Granted, Yanni is still a little out there, but the other topics are as mainstream today as (organic) apple pie. Buddhism, which continues to attract Westerners searching for answers to life's burning questions (like, what is Richard Gere's phone number?). Don't be fooled by the grocery-list title of 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama, which is anything but a mundane Q&A from writer-director-narrator Rick Ray (a former Video Librarian contributor). Part travelogue, part biography, and part historical overview, Ray's beautifully-lensed documentary (featuring a lovely soundtrack by Peter Kater) weaves together contemporary footage of the filmmaker's travels in India and the Middle East with rare historical footage (including snippets from Chinese propaganda films) as he traces the history of Tibetan Buddhism in preparation for a private interview with the impish Nobel Prize-winning spiritual leader, His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama—which came about through e-mail correspondence! The questions themselves mix the spiritual with the philosophical, while also touching on fundamental issues faced by the world today: How do you reconcile a commitment to non-violence when faced with violence? Why do the poor often seem happier than the rich? Must a society lose its traditions in order to move into the future? A tender, moving commentary on compassion, tolerance, and finding the “middleway” though moral dialogue within the global community, 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama is a surprisingly humorous, thought-provoking, and uplifting film. DVD extras include interviews with the director and with Geyche Tethong (the Dalai Lama's personal secretary), as well as additional scenes. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P.