"We must embrace change while holding onto our roots. If we close the doors, the world will pass us by. If we open them wisely, we may guide others to the path of understanding”. These lines from the movie The Cup, which premiered in the Bodhipath Film Festival, perfectly capture the need to use popular media and technology to educate the youth about not just the philosophy of Buddha but any tradition before it is lost.
Working on this philosophy, the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) organised The Bodhipath Film Festival at the Indian International Centre, Delhi, on March 10 and 11. The festival’s aim was to celebrate and showcase the rich spiritual, cultural, and philosophical traditions of Buddha Dhamma through the motion picture medium.
The film festival underscored the universality of Dhamma, reflecting common values between various traditions, practices, and beliefs across Asian Buddhist countries as individuals, families, societies, and nations at large grapple with contemporary challenges seeking answers from the Dhamma to address the chaos and uncertainty around them.
India is currently witnessing a mushrooming of film and literature festivals all over. Not just states and cities but communities and religions are bringing forth their international festivals to educate about culture and traditions.
Likewise, The Bodhipath film festival, through film screenings and panel discussions, aims to spread Buddhist culture and tradition among the common masses. The movie Cup which was showcased to the public not only introduces the Buddhist culture but at the same time the changes it is going through.
The introduction of new technologies that create new distractions and temptations is highlighted in the movie. The movie also shows Orgyen, a young and mischievous Tibetan monk with a deep passion for football, especially the FIFA World Cup. International politics is discussed as well, and the pain of Tibetan monks is shown through the character of Abbot who wants to return to his homeland.
