Thaumatrope* Feature: 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama (2006)

"All forms of violence, especially war, are totally unacceptable as means to settle disputes between and among nations, groups and persons."~the Dalai Lama

This past Monday I went to see the documentary film 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama (2006). The premise for the documentary was that the film maker, Rick Ray, has been granted an audience His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In an effort to prepare for this interview, Ray tries to better acclimate himself as to who the Dalai Lama is and how he came to establish a government in exile in India. It is the fruits of both the film maker's journey to understanding and his interview that the film ultimately shares with the viewer.

While at first glance the production values may not seem particularly high, but this film is not about CGI robots or magic pirate ships, and the cinematography is impressive as Ray's credentials as a travel film maker are readily apparent. Archival footage is interspersed among recent images to better present the histories of both Tibet and the Dalai Lama.

This is likely a film you will need seek out (it was made in 2006 and just played here these past two weeks--closing tomorrow) to see in theaters, or wait for on home release. The Dalai Lama's message of compassion, in the face of the adversity (and violence) he and Tibet have endured, is powerful. Although the world in which he lives and operates may seem very alien and foreign, as it did to me here in River City, his words and actions speak to the clearly universal need for a deeper empathy and understanding.



Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

* Historical Note: A very early version of a "magic lantern" was invented in the 17th century by Athanasius Kircher in Rome. It was a device with a lens that projected images from transparencies onto a screen, with a simple light source (such as a candle). In 1824, the Thaumatrope was invented by (the earliest version of an optical illusion toy that exploited the concept of "persistence of vision") by Dr. John Ayrton Paris.