This is a beautiful documentary that follows a revered Buddhist abbot in the remote northern region of Laos as he navigates the challenges of a sacred life under a communist regime.
An ambitious spiritual leader, Abbot Onekeo Sittivong defied convention by establishing a new school for his country's poor and undereducated children. But something else is happening at this school in a misty forest. The abbot and his fellow saffron-robed monks and young novices are working tirelessly to revitalize ancient Lao Theravada Buddhist practices and education almost lost to history. Of the many scars left by the Vietnam War, little is known in the West of the lasting revolution in the small but pivotal country of Laos, where the U.S. carried out its “Secret War”, which changed the country from a 600-year-old monarchy to a communist-run state. On the surface, this is a story of breaking the cycle of poverty and ignorance through education. The abbot, however, believes the novices’ path is about much more. ‘Saffron Robe’ follows his dream to safeguard the traditions and wisdom of a rich culture against the encroachments of a modern world by passing this heritage on to future generations. (Subtitles)
Laos/USA 2024 Jane Centofante 86m
