This article presents an additional selection that complements the filmography published in the “Resources” section of the website of Dharma-Gaia Foundation. The objective is to expand the cinematographic map of Buddhism with works that enrich the panorama: documentaries and films that explore meditation practices, monastic life, lineages and contemporary dialogues with global culture.
Unlike the main guide—which organizes the corpus base of reference—this issue works as a curatorial appendix: it incorporates titles, retrieves less common pieces and adds entries that complete traditions, periods and formats. The selection maintains the same editorial criteria as the mother filmography: informative clarity, diversity of schools (Zen, Theravāda, Tibetan, Buddhism in the West), and attention to narrative and documentary quality.
In practice, each work listed here will be individually integrated into the main filmography of “Resources”, ordered by alphabetical sections, ensuring consistency and ease of consultation for readers, teachers and practitioners. The purpose is to continue building a living and accessible archive that serves both research and inspiration.
Title: Amongst White Clouds (“Between White Clouds”)
Diretor: Edward A. Burger
Year: 2005
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English/Chinese
Genre: documentary
Length: 86 minutes
Tradition: Chan Buddhism (Chinese Zen)
Theme: hermit life and the search for enlightenment in the mountains.
Synopsis: The documentary explores the lives of hermit Buddhist monks in China's Zhongnan Mountains, capturing their daily routines, meditations, and reflections on simplicity and enlightenment in isolation.
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Title: Awake: The Life of Yogananda (“Awake: Yogananda's Life”)
Director: Paola di Florio and Lisa Leeman
Year: 2014
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 87 minutes
Tradition: Buddhism and Hinduism (influence on meditation)
Theme: Dissemination of Eastern spirituality in the West.
Synopsis: Biography of Paramahansa Yogananda, author of “Autobiography of a Yogi”, highlighting his role in introducing yoga and Buddhist-inspired meditation to the U.S. Department of State, with interviews and archive material.
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Title: Becoming Nobody (“Becoming Nobody”)
Diretor: Jamie Catto
Year: 2019
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 81 minutes
Tradition: Contemporary Buddhism (Zen Influence)
Theme: ego, detachment and personal transformation.
Synopsis: Explores the life and teachings of Ram Dass, focusing on his journey from psychologist to spiritual guru, with an emphasis on dissolving the ego through Buddhist and psychedelic practices.
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Title: Bodhidharma (“Bodhidharma”)
Diretor: Sangeeth Sivan
Year: 2011
Country: India
Language: Tamil
Genre: film (historical drama)
Length: 145 minutes
Tradition: Zen Buddhism (origins)
Theme: spiritual journey and the foundation of Zen.
Synopsis: It narrates the legendary life of Bodhidharma, the Indian monk who brought Buddhism to China, founding Shaolin and Zen, with martial arts scenes and teachings on discipline and enlightenment.
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Title: Buddha Wild: The Monk In A Hut (“Wild Buddha: The Monk in a Cabin”)
Diretor: Anna Wilding
Year: 2006
Country: U.S. UU. /Sri Lanka
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 60 minutes
Tradition: Theravāda Buddhism
Theme: monastic life in the jungle.
Synopsis: follows a Western monk in the forests of Sri Lanka, exploring ancient Buddhist practices, the connection to nature, and the challenges of ascetic life in a wild environment.
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Title: Crazy Wisdom: The Life & Times of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche (“Crazy Wisdom: The Life and Times of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche”)
Diretor: Johanna Demetrakas
Year: 2011
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 86 minutes
Tradition: Tibetan Buddhism (Shambhala)
Theme: controversial teachings and legacy in the West.
Synopsis: portrait of Trungpa Rinpoche, a Tibetan teacher who introduced Buddhism to the United States. Department of State with an eccentric style, including its personal struggles and influence on the counterculture.
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Title: Doing Time, Doing Vipassana (“Making Time, Doing Vipassana”)
Director: Eilona Ariel and Ayelet Menahemi
Year: 1997
Country: Israel/India
Language: English/Hindi
Genre: documentary
Length: 52 minutes
Tradition: Theravāda (Vipassana) Buddhism
Theme: rehabilitation through meditation in prisons.
Synopsis: documents a vipassana meditation program in an Indian prison, showing how it transforms prisoners, reducing anger and encouraging introspection and inner peace.
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Title: Footprint of the Buddha (“Footprint of the Buddha”)
Diretor: Ronald Eyre
Year: 1977
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 50 minutes
Tradition: General Buddhism
Theme: sacred sites and pilgrimages.
Synopsis: Explores key places in the life of the Buddha in India and Nepal, with historical narration and visits to temples, highlighting the evolution of Buddhist teachings.
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Title: Happy (“Happy”)
Diretor: Roko Belic
Year: 2011
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 75 minutes
Tradition: Contemporary Buddhism
Theme: happiness and global mindfulness.
Synopsis: Examines the science of happiness across cultures, including Buddhist practices in Bhutan and the United States. Department of State, with interviews with experts on how compassion generates well-being.
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Title: Headspace: Guide to Meditation (“Headspace: Guide to Meditation”)
Diretor: Andy Puddicombe
Year: 2021
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary (series)
Length: 8 episodes of 20 minutes
Tradition: Contemporary Buddhism (Mindfulness)
Theme: daily meditation practices.
Synopsis: Andy Puddicombe, former monk, guides meditation sessions inspired by Buddhism, explaining benefits for stress and mental clarity, with animations and testimonies.
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Title: In the Footsteps of Buddha (“In the Footsteps of the Buddha”)
Diretor: Rajiv Mehrotra
Year: 2005
Country: India
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 90 minutes
Tradition: General Buddhism
Theme: historical journey through the life of the Buddha.
Synopsis: Explore the sacred sites in India where Siddhartha Gautama lived, combining archaeology, teaching and modern stories about their lasting impact.
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Title: Journey to Mindfulness (“Journey to Mindfulness”)
Diretor: Paul Quigley
Year: 2013
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 60 minutes
Tradition: Theravāda Buddhism
Theme: personal transformation through meditation.
Synopsis: It follows the journey of a Western man to Thailand to learn mindfulness in a monastery, exploring how he overcomes trauma and finds inner peace.
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Title: Letters from the East (“Letters from the East”)
Diretor: Andrew Grieve
Year: 1996
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 50 minutes
Tradition: Tibetan Buddhism
Theme: exile and cultural preservation.
Synopsis: Based on letters from Tibetans in exile, it explores the struggle to maintain Buddhist traditions in the face of Chinese occupation, with testimonies and archival material.
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Title: Living Buddha (“Living Buddha”)
Diretor: Clemens Kuby
Year: 1994
Country: Germany
Language: German/English
Genre: documentary
Length: 90 minutes
Tradition: Tibetan Buddhism
Theme: reincarnation and spiritual lineages.
Synopsis: It follows the search for and recognition of a child as the reincarnation of a lama, highlighting Tibetan rituals and the impact on their family and community.
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Title: Mindfulness Goes Mainstream (“Mindfulness Goes Mainstream”)
Diretor: Max Lewkowicz
Year: 2017
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 60 minutes
Tradition: Contemporary Buddhism
Theme: integration into society and business.
Synopsis: examines how Buddhist mindfulness has become popular in corporations and schools, with critiques about its commercialization and real benefits.
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Title: My Reincarnation (“My Reincarnation”)
Diretor: Jennifer Fox
Year: 2011
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English/Tibetan
Genre: documentary
Length: 82 minutes
Tradition: Tibetan Buddhism
Theme: father-child relationship and spiritual heritage.
Synopsis: It follows a Tibetan lama and his Italian son, exploring cultural tensions as they recognize the son as reincarnation and their reluctance to assume the role.
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Title: On Meditation (“On Meditation”)
Diretor: Rebecca Dreyfus
Year: 2014
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 60 minutes
Tradition: Zen Buddhism
Theme: daily practices and benefits.
Synopsis: series of short films featuring celebrities and experts sharing experiences of Buddhist meditation, emphasizing their role in creativity and well-being.
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Title: Ram Dass: Fierce Grace (“Ram Dass: Fierce Grace”)
Diretor: Mickey Lemle
Year: 2001
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 93 minutes
Tradition: Contemporary Buddhism
Theme: Illness, Acceptance and Wisdom.
Synopsis: Portrays Ram Dass after a stroke, reflecting on Buddhist suffering and how he transforms pain into spiritual grace.
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Title: Sacred Journey of the Heart (“Sacred Journey of the Heart”)
Diretor: Cynthia Lukas
Year: 2012
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 80 minutes
Tradition: Buddhism and indigenous people (syncretism)
Theme: heart and global compassion.
Synopsis: Explores spiritual practices from diverse traditions, including Buddhism, focused on the heart as a center of healing and human connection.
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Title: Spirit of Tibet (“Spirit of Tibet”)
Diretor: Matthieu Ricard
Year: 1992
Country: France
Language: French/English
Genre: documentary
Length: 45 minutes
Tradition: Tibetan Buddhism
Theme: culture and resistance in exile.
Synopsis: photographer and monk Ricard documents Tibetan life in India, highlighting rituals, meditation and the preservation of traditions in the face of adversity.
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Title: The Last Dalai Lama? (“The Last Dalai Lama?”)
Diretor: Mickey Lemle
Year: 2016
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 82 minutes
Tradition: Tibetan Buddhism
Theme: future of lineage and political challenges.
Synopsis: Reflects on the life of the 14th Dalai Lama and the possibility that he may be the last, with an emphasis on compassion and peace in a changing world.
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Title: The Zen Mind (“The Zen Mind”)
Diretor: Jon Braeley
Year: 2006
Country: U.S. UU. /Japan
Language: English/Japanese
Genre: documentary
Length: 60 minutes
Tradition: Zen Buddhism
Theme: practices in Japanese monasteries.
Synopsis: Explores zazen meditation and life in Zen temples in Japan, with interviews with teachers and scenes of daily routines to understand the enlightened mind.
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Title: The Zen of Bennett (“Bennett's Zen”)
Diretor: Unni Straume
Year: 2012
Country: U.S. UU.
Language: English
Genre: documentary
Length: 84 minutes
Tradition: Zen Buddhism (applied to music)
Theme: creativity and mindfulness in art.
Synopsis: follows singer Tony Bennett as he records an album, revealing how Zen principles influence his approach to life and music.
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Title: Tibetan Warrior (“Tibetan Warrior”)
Diretor: Dodo Hunziker
Year: 2015
Country: Switzerland
Language: English/Tibetan
Genre: documentary
Length: 84 minutes
Tradition: Tibetan Buddhism
Theme: nonviolent activism.
Synopsis: profile of Loten Namling, Tibetan musician and activist, who uses art and Buddhism to protest against the Chinese occupation, combining spirituality and resistance.
