List of Selected Films about Buddhism

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This section provides a list of selected Buddhist films and documentaries. The links will take you to the producer website or IMDb (online database for films). For viewing, please access the films through streaming platforms, such as YouTube TV, Amazon, Neflix, or Kanopy (free for the Stanford community with your SUNet ID or through your public library or university). This section is a work in progress and is not exhaustive. We welcome suggestions. Please email: buddhiststudies [at] stanford.edu.

General/History/Material Culture

The Buddha (Documentary, 2010)

Bones of the Buddha

Bones of the Buddha (Documentary, 2013)

Buddha: The Great Departure

Buddha: The Great Departure (Anime, 2011)

Buddha: The Endless Journey

Buddha 2: The Endless Journey (Anime, 2014)

Saving Mes Aynak

Saving Mes Aynak (Documentary, 2014)

Seven Wonders of the Buddhist World

Seven Wonders of the Buddhist World (Documentary, 2011)

Burma/Myanmar

My Buddha is Punk

My Buddha is Punk (Documentary, Music, 2015)

The Burmese Harp

The Burmese Harp (Drama, 1956)

Golden Kingdom

Golden Kingdom (Drama, 2015)

The Golden Land of Myanmar (Documentary, 2014)

The Monk

The Monk (Documentary, 2014)

The Venerable W.

The Venerable W. (Documentary, 2017)

Bhutanese/Nepalese

The Cup

The Cup (Comedy, 1999)

Happiness

Happiness (Documentary, 2013)

Lo sum choe sum

Lo sum choe sum (Drama, 2015)

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Drama, 2018)

Milarepa

Milarepa (Drama, 2006)

Sing Me A Song

Next Generation (Documentary, 2017)

The Next Guardian

The Next Guardian (Documentary, 2017)

Supermonk

Supermonk (Adventure, 2018)

Traverlers and Magicians

Travelers and Magicians (Drama, 2003)

Chan/Zen

The Departure

The Departure (Documentary, 2017)

Enlightenment Guaranteed

Enlightenment Guaranteed (Drama, 2003)

Fancy Dance

Fancy Dance (Drama, 1989)

How to Cook Your Life

How to Cook Your Life (Documentary, 2007)

My Soul Drifts Light Upon a Sea of Trees

My Soul Drifts Light Upon a Sea of Trees (Documentary, 2018)

Old Plum Mountain

Old Plum Mountain (Documentary, 2011)

One Mind

One Mind (Documentary, 2019)

The Practice of the Wild

The Practice of the Wild (Documentary, 2010)

Souls of Zen

Souls of Zen (Documentary, 2012)

States of Grace

States of Grace (Documentary, 2014)

Walk with Me

Walk With Me (Documentary, 2017)

Zen

Zen (Drama, 2009)

Zen Buddhism: In Search of Self

Zen Buddhism: In Search of Self (Documentary, 2007)

Zen Mind

Zen Mind (Documentary, 2006)

Zen for Nothing

Zen for Nothing (Documentary, 2016)

Chinese

Alms

Alms (Documentary, 2015)

Amongst White Clouds

Amongst the Clouds (Documentary, 2007)

Music Monks

Music Monks (Documentary, 2019)

The Great Pilgrim

The Great Pilgrim (Documentary, 2009)

Vows

Vows (Documentary, 2013)

To the Land of Bliss

To the Land Of Bliss (Documentary, 2002)

Japanese

Why Not? (Eijanaika)

Why Not? (Eijanaika) (Drama, 1981)

Carving the Divine

Carving the Divine (Documentary, 2017)

Kwaidan

Kwaidan (Strange Tales) (Drama, Fantasy, 1964)

Kukai

Kūkai (Drama, 1984)

Nichiren

Nichiren (Drama,1979)

Marathon Monk of Mount Hiei

Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei (Documentary, 2002)

Tempyo no iraka

An Ocean to Cross (Tempyō no iraka) (Drama, 1980)

Preaching from Pictures: A Japanese Mandala

Preaching from Pictures: A Japanese Mandala (Documentary, 2003)

Shinran: Path to Purity

Shinran: Path to Purity (Drama, 1987)

Shugendō Now

Shugendō Now (Documentary, 2010)

Walking Pilgrims

Walking Pilgrims (Arukihenro) (Documentary, 2006)

Yamaguchi Story

The Yamaguchi Story (Documentary, 2008)

Korean

Hi! Dharma!

Hi! Dharma! (Comedy, 2001)

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring (Drama, 2004)

Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?

Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? (Drama, 1989)

Tibetan

Akong: A Remarkable Life

Akong: A Remarkable Life (Documentary, 2017)

Becoming Who I Was

Becoming Who I Was (Documentary, 2016)

Brilliant Moon, Glimpses of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Brilliant Moon, Glimpses of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (Documentary, 2010)

The Last Dalai Lama?

The Last Dalai Lama? (Documentary, 2016)

Monte Grande

Monte Grande: What Is Life? (Documentary, 2004)

Paths of the Soul

Paths of the Soul (Documentary, 2015)

Quick Sand

Quick Sand: The Kalachakra Mandala (Documentary, 2018)

Sunrise/Sunset

Rassvet/Zakat (Sunrise/Sunset) (Documentary, 2008)

Tashi and the Monk

Tashi and the Monk (Documentary, 2014)

Ten Questions for the Dalai Lama

Ten Questions for the Dalai Lama (Documentary, 2006)

Tibetan Book of the Dead 1

The Tibetan Book of the Dead I (Documentary, 1994)

Tibetan Book of the Dead 2

The Tibetan Book of the Dead 2 (Documentary, 1994)

Tulku

Tulku (Documentary, 2009)

Unmistaken Child

Unmistaken Child (Documentary, 2008)

Yogis of Tibet

The Yogis of Tibet (Documentary, 2002)

Women Across Buddhist Traditions

Blessings

Blessings: The Tsoknyi Nangchen Nuns of Tibet (Documentary, 2009)

The Buddha's Forgotten Nuns

The Buddha's Forgotten Nuns (Documentary, 2013)

Bhikkhunī – Buddhism, Sri Lanka, Revolution

Bhikkhunī – Buddhism, Sri Lanka, Revolution (Documentary, 2018)

The Buddhist Nuns of Emei Mountain

Buddhist Nuns of Mount Emei (Documentary, 1995)

Daughters of Dolma

Daughters of Dolma (Documentary, 2013)

Gatekeeper of Enmyoin

The GateKeeper of Enmyoin (Documentary, 2008)

Sky Dancer

Sky Dancer (Documentary, 2011)

A Thousand Mothers

A Thousand Mothers (Documentary, 2017)

Tibet: The Trail of Light

Tibet: A Trail of Light (Documentary, 2018)

Other Areas

Angry Buddha

Angry Buddha (Documentary, 2016)

Buddha's Painter

Buddha's Painter (Documentary, 2004)

The Dhamma Brothers

The Dhamma Brothers (Documentary, 2007)

Meditate and Destroy

Meditate and Destroy (Documentary, 2007)

The Mindful Revolution

The Mindful Revolution (Documentary, 2015)

Sandcastles: Buddhism and Global Finance

Sandcastles: Buddhism and Global Finance (Documentary, 2005)