New York: Members of the Tibetan community of New York and New Jersey gathered at the Woodstock Film Festival in upstate New York on 20 October 2024 to celebrate the screening of ‘Wisdom of Happiness’, a documentary film on His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

As a gesture of appreciation towards the filmmakers and producer for their documentary that articulates the critical importance of cultivating a compassionate mindset to establish a peaceful twenty-first century—drawing upon the significant lessons from the tumultuous experiences of the twentieth century’s conflicts—the Tibetan Association of New York and New Jersey arranged a couple of buses at no cost to accommodate the audience. Approximately 170 Tibetans, along with a large number of non-Tibetan viewers, filled the venue to capacity, leaving approximately 40 Tibetans outside the theatre.

According to Kelsang Tsering, President of the Tibetan Association of New York and New Jersey, Director Barbara Miller and her team were delighted by the impressive turnout, particularly given the considerable distance between Woodstock and New York. He also acknowledged the kind assistance provided by the Tashi Kyil Tibetan Buddhist Institute during the event.

In a similar vein, Director Barbara Miller and Screenwriter Oren Moverman expressed their gratitude to all attendees, including former Representative of the Office of Tibet, Rinchen Dharlo, for their support and acknowledgement.

A day earlier, the Tibetan Association of New York and New Jersey released a press statement regarding the screening programme as below.

Tibetan cultural performance at Woodstock Film Festival to celebrate the North American Premiere of film on Dalai Lama. Members of the Tibetan Community of New York & New Jersey will gather at the Woodstock Film Festival in upstate New York on 20 October 2024 around 3 pm and will be there till 6:45 pm to celebrate the screening of the film on H.H. the Dalai Lama, 

“Wisdom of Happiness” as part of its North American Premier. They will perform traditional Tibetan songs and dances to rejoice in the screening of the film that is being screened at 4:30 pm at the Woodstock Playhouse. WISDOM OF HAPPINESS is a deeply intimate and unique documentary that captures the Dalai Lama, who, at nearly ninety years of age, is speaking directly to viewers, creating a sense of a private audience. The Nobel laureate shares his timeless wisdom on the universal pursuit of inner peace, happiness, and compassion. Moreover, he offers practical advice on how to navigate the challenges of the 21st century.

The film also features previously unreleased material from the archives of the Tibetan government, thus telling us the story of the 14th Dalai Lama. Born as Tenzin Gyatso, he was officially chosen as the spiritual leader of Tibet in 1940 at the age of four. The film is made by Barbara Miller, Philip Delaquis, and Manuel Bauer in collaboration with Richard Gere and Oren Moverman. The producer, Richard Gere, who is also the chairman of the Board of the International Campaign for Tibet, said, “This is a small movie which can have a big impact on the future,” when the film was screened at the Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland earlier this month.

-Report filed by Office of Tibet, Washington DC