Phorpa is an unassuming, warm-hearted film and undermined any expectations I had of it being cutesy or sentimental. It portrays life in a genuine Tibetan Buddhist monastery in very down-to-earth, often comic, terms.
The monks in the film are refreshingly unholy, displaying all-too-human tendencies and interests. None of the cast are trained actors, all being genuine monks, and some of the acting reflects this, but overall I was left with the feeling that I had seen a rare and worthwhile film. The Buddhist take on endings (at the end of the film, of all places) is particularly appropriate. This film (like life), doesn't necessarily reach a logical or dramatic finale, but it does leave one feeling inspired.
The monks in the film are refreshingly unholy, displaying all-too-human tendencies and interests. None of the cast are trained actors, all being genuine monks, and some of the acting reflects this, but overall I was left with the feeling that I had seen a rare and worthwhile film. The Buddhist take on endings (at the end of the film, of all places) is particularly appropriate. This film (like life), doesn't necessarily reach a logical or dramatic finale, but it does leave one feeling inspired.