An intimate portrait of a rare and extraordinary spiritual community and the women who created it.

DAUGHTERS OF WISDOM

February 18-19, 21, 25, 27-28

Mon 7:00pm, Tues 8:15pm, Thurs 9:15pm, Mon (Feb.25) 7:00pm, Wed (Feb 27) 7:00pm, Thurs (Feb 28) 8:15pm

USA 2007 // Director: Bari Perlman // 68 minutes // Digibeta

Bari Pearlman's groundbreaking documentary provides an intimate glimpse into the daily life of the nuns at Kala Rongo—far from being marked by solitude or deprivation, they are rich in community, laughter and quotidian beauty. In a country where it's still considered bad luck to be reincarnated in a female body (whether you're an insect or a human being), a small band of women is changing centuries-old perceptions of gender.

The Kala Rongo Monastery is one of the few monasteries in Tibet reserved solely for Buddhist nuns. Established in 1990 by Lama Norlha Rinpoche and currently home to more than 300 souls, the monastery has become a unique educational centre for Tibetan women, offering them opportunities never previously available. Traditionally a monastic life was a privilege reserved solely for men.

In Nangchen, it has traditionally been a high honor for a family to have a son become a monk, granting him the privilege to serve the community as a scholar and spiritual leader, and to transcend the hardships of everyday life. But to have a daughter become a nun has been considered a burden for a family, as she can no longer be married off in exchange for livestock, or bear children who can become workers on the family farm. Though there are many examples of women of great spiritual attainment and enlightenment throughout Tibetan history, within in the socio-economic realities of daily life of Nangchen, it was believed that to educate a woman was a waste of valuable resources.

Now, for the first time, the women of Nangchen are being given the chance to change the course of their lives, and to continue their rich spiritual legacy. Built with their own hands and always expanding, the Kala Rongo Monastery is home to nearly 300 nuns who study and practice full-time, creating new opportunities for themselves and for the community they serve.

Bari Pearlman is a Manhattan-based independent producer, director, and writer, specializing in documentaries for theatrical and television markets.

"The film is beautiful, important and poignant."—Filmmaker

"This sympathetic film gives us a windo directly into the experiences of rural wome in Eastern Tibet, far from the politics of urban life and the familiar stories westerners tell themselves about Tibet." —Gray Tuttle, Leila Hadley Luce Assistant Professor of Modern Tibetan Studies, Columbia Univeristy

Screeners available

Official site: http://daughtersofwisdom.com/

Photos at: http://www.vifc.org/fileshare/login.php

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VIFC TICKETS AND INFO

Call the Starbucks Hotline 604.683.FILM (3456) for the latest info and listings. Tickets can be purchased in advance on-line at www.vifc.org or in person 30 minutes before showtime.

Double Bill Pricing!
The Vancity Theatre is offering double bills at a special price. At just $12 for two films ($10 for Students/Seniors and Bronze and above members), it's one of the cheapest (and still most comfy) seats in town!

Note: Double Bill pricing is not available for online sales. However, you can purchase your first ticket online at the regular price and get the double-bill price on the second ticket when you arrive at the box office. Double Bills are two consecutive films on the same day at the Vancity Theatre; rentals and Special Events are not included.

Adult tickets: $9.50 (Double Bill - $12)

Student/Senior $7.50 (Double Bill - $10)

Matinees $7.50

Bronze and above members receive a $2 discount on their tickets. (Double Bill - $10)
Silver and above members also receive a $2 discount for a guest ticket.

As a registered non-profit society, the VIFC screens films that have not always been seen by the BC Film Classification Board. Under BC law, any person wishing to see these unclassified films must belong to the VIFC Society and be 18 years or older. Valid for one year based on the date of purchase, the VIFC basic membership cost is $12, but includes the ticket price of your first film.

Please note that membership benefits and restrictions are valid for VIFC presentations only. They are not applicable to Vancity Theatre "Rental" presentations by other organizations.

For More Membership Information go to http://www.vifc.org/membership.html.