Situated on the Eastern Tibetan plateau north of the Himalayas, at an altitude of 14,000 feet, the Nangchen district of Kham is home to an estimated 60,000 subsistence farmers and nomadic herding families. Their way of life has changed little in over 2,000 years and for most it, it is a life of illiteracy, poverty and hunger. 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.
The film is an intimate portrait of these nuns, who are receiving unprecedented educational and religious training, preserving their rich cultural heritage. Some shy, some outspoken, all committed to the often difficult life they have chosen, the nuns graciously allowed our camera an unseen glimpse into their vibrant spiritual community and insight.
Director
BARI PEARLMAN
Bari Pearlman is a producer, director and writer from Manhattan, specialising in documentaries for the television market. She was Executive Producer, Co-Producer and Co-Director (together with Phyllis Heller) of “Mah-Jongg: The Tiles That Bind”, Producer of the documentary “Shots in the Dark” and Producer of “VH1 Fan Club”. She has also made and produced numerous fiction programmes, such as “Segment”, “Nine Planets” and her first film “Hotel Room” (1998). Bari has also written for Filmmaker Magazine and has been editorial consultant for the magazines Scenario, Silicon Alley Reporter and IFC/Rant. Her wonderful film “Daughters of Wisdom” was awarded the Jury's Prize at the 56th Trento Film Festival 2008.