Walk with Me

The past is gone and the future is not here yet says internationally renowned Zen Buddhist master and author Thich Nhat Hanh in Marc J. Francis and Max Pugh's moving documentary Walk with Me. And that leaves only the present here-and-now, an ever-dying/ever-reborn experience that most of us tend to miss while suffering under the burdens of old grievances and desires for things that will never truly satisfy us. According to Hanh, an exiled Vietnamese monk living in rural France in an idyllic monastic community called Plum Village, the best approach to life is mindfulness—focusing on the reality before us in the current moment. Hanh only speaks a couple of times in the film, but his presence is always felt even when he's not on camera. Walk with Me offers a record of life at Plum Village—which includes silent meals, singing to visitors, handling routine tasks, and meditating—coupled with long, contemplative shots of nature at its most still. Along the way, there are also affectionate touches of humor, such as the sight of a young monk-in-training yawning repeatedly during meditation, despite standing directly behind Hanh. One can witness the power of mindfulness in the strong emotional impact on outsiders who come to see and hear members of the Plum Village community. People shake and cry, struggling with an emptiness they haven't been able to fill in life, and not wanting to waste the small amount of time we all have. A serene, open-hearted, and attentive film about mindfulness, featuring extras including additional interviews, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)