Zurich — Wisdom of Happiness: A Heart to Heart with the Dalai Lama, screened at the Zurich Film Festival on October 8, 2024. Director Barbara Miller said, "Wisdom of Happiness is is a grandiose and immersive cinematic experience. The Dalai Lama guides us through the film by asking, how we “modern” people can manage to find peace of mind and even happiness despite all the stresses of everyday life, the uncertainties of our climate crisis, and the anxiety caused by ongoing wars."
Wisdom of Happiness: A Heart to Heart with the Dalai Lama is a film by Barbara Miller, Philip Delaquis, Manuel Bauer in cooperation with Richard Gere, Oren Moverman. Directors are Philip Delaquis and Barbara Miller, and excutive producers are Richard Gere, productor Philip Delaquis, Oren Moverman, Walo Kamm, Tashi Albertini-Kaiser, Hanspeter and Monlam Maureradotsang, Tobias Asch, Anette Werenfels.
The world premiere of Wisdom of Happiness took place at the Zurich Film Festival on October 8, 2024. Barbara Miller, Philip Delaquis, Manuel Bauer, Richard Gere and others attended. Sikyong (President) Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration, Jetsun Pema, younger sister of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tencho Gyatso, Executive Director of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), representative Thinlay Chukki and others were among those who attended the screening of the film.
According to the press release, "Wisdom of Happiness is a deeply intimate and highly cinematic documentary featuring the Dalai Lama, who, at nearly 90 years old, offers practical advice for navigating the 21st century's challenges. The film captures the Dalai Lama speaking directly to viewers, creating a sense of a private audience, and shares his timeless wisdom on achieving inner peace and happiness for everyone."
The film is about His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and his life in a free Tibet, the brutal occupation of Tibet by China's People's Liberation Army in the 1950s, and his contributions and teachings of compassion, non-violence, peace and love around the world.
Director Barbara Miller said, "Wisdom of Happiness is is a grandiose and immersive cinematic experience. The Dalai Lama guides us through the film by asking, how we “modern” people can manage to find peace of mind and even happiness despite all the stresses of everyday life, the uncertainties of our climate crisis, and the anxiety caused by ongoing wars."
Exective productor Richard Gere said, "I think there’s a real need for us to reacquaint ourselves with a vaster understanding of who we are as individuals, what reality is, and how we’re all trying to achieve some degree of happiness, if not complete or absolute happiness. And there are ways to do that. Buddhism teaches this. The Dalai Lama teaches this. And I think throughout his life, despite the problems he’s faced for himself and his people, he has maintained his openness and his composure and his vast commitment to help all beings. He doesn’t see anyone as an enemy. We are all in this together."
When the executive producer Oren Moverman asked whether he considered the film to be political or not, he replied: "I consider everything to be political. Which means everything we say or do has a connotation based in ideas and point of view that someone will find political. But not everything is about politics. This film is not a polemic. It addresses everyone, friend or foe, as a person deserving of positive experiences, health, peace and happiness. It may sound simplistic, but it’s very deep and hard-earned."
The film will be released in Germany on November 7, 2024 and in Austria on November 14, 2024, as well as in Switzerland on December 5, 2024. The film will also be shown in Taiwan, Italy, Spain, Greece, Israel, Australia, Poland, Denmark and the Baltic States. The film will also be presented in Dharamshala on November 10, 2024, at the Dharamsala International Film Festival.