Milarepa (2006)

Milarepa is a tale of greed and vengeance - demons, magic, murder and redemption. It is the story of the man who became Tibet's greatest mystic.

Director:

Neten Chokling

Writers:

Neten Chokling, Tenzing Choyang Gyari

Stars:

Orgyen Tobgyal, Kelsang Chukie Tethtong, Jamyang Lodro

Cast

Credited cast:
Orgyen Tobgyal	...	Yongten Trogyal
Kelsang Chukie Tethtong
Jamyang Lodro	...	Thopaga / Milarepa
Jamyang Nyima	...	(as Jamyang Nyima Tashi)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kelsang Chukie Tethong	...	Kargyen
Lhakpa Tsamchoe	...	Aunt Peydon

Storyline

Milarepa depicts the humble beginnings of the man who was to become Tibet's greatest saint. A true story based on centuries-old oral traditions, a youthful Milarepa is propelled into a world of sorrow and betrayal after his father's sudden death. Destitute and hopeless, he sets out to learn black magic - and exact revenge on his enemies - encountering magicians, demons, an enigmatic teacher and unexpected mystical power along the way. But it is in confrontation with the consequences of his anger that he learns the most. Photographed in the stunning Lahaul-Spiti region of Northern India, Milarepa offers a provocative parallel to the cycle of violence and retribution consuming today's world.

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Plot Keywords:

tibet | magician | redemption | anger | confrontation | 

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Taglines:

His path to enlightenment began with revenge...

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

Bhutan

Language:

Tibetan

Release Date:

5 September 2008 (Poland)

Also Known As:

Milarepa: Magician, Murderer, Saint

Box Office

Budget:

$1,800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shining Moon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

The path to enlightenment

Milarepa, the first feature by Neten Chokling Rinpoche, tells the story of the formative years of Milarepa, an 11th century Tibetan poet and mystic and his journey from seeking revenge to enlightenment. Set in the magnificent Spiti Valley close to the border between India and Tibet, the film has spectacular cinematography and convincing performances from a cast that includes Jamyang Lodro, the obstreperous football-obsessed youngster in The Cup as Thopaga, the young Milarepa. The cast and crew also include monks from the Pema Ewam Choegar Gyurmeling Monastery in India and Tibet of which Chokling Rinpoche is the spiritual head. In the process of making the film, Chokling took in some 40 destitute young boys, many of them orphans, and used his film to help feed, house, and care for the boys.

Milarepa (1052-1135) is one of the most widely known Tibetan Saints. According to a blessing Milarepa uttered towards the end of his life, anyone who but hears the name Milarepa even once attracts an instant blessing and will not take rebirth in a lower state of existence during seven consecutive lifetimes. In Part One of Chokling Rinpoche's biography, Thopaga, which means delightful to hear, grows up in a happy and prosperous environment. His father is wealthy in relation to the other villagers and the family lives in a large stone house consisting of three stories held in place by a large central pillar and supporting columns.

When his father, Mila-Dorje-Senge, is near death, he calls the family together to inform them that he has placed his entire estate in the care of Thopaga's Uncle Gyalsten (Gonpo) and Aunt Peydon (Tsamchoe) until Milarepa was grown and married to Zesay, his arranged partner. Happiness and wealth is not to be for Milarepa, however, as his Aunt and Uncle divide the estate between them and force Milarepa and his mother Kargyen (Kelsang Chukie Tethong) and sister Peta to work in the fields. The family, once the envy of the village, now become objects of derision.

Using Thopaga (Milarepa) as an instrument of revenge, his mother sells some property to raise money to send the young boy to study with Lama Yongten Troygal (Orgyen Tobgyal), known to be adept in the arts of sorcery and black magic. Using sorcery learned from masters, he exacts revenge on his Aunt and Uncle by producing a storm that brings death and destruction to his own people, but it is a Pyrrhic victory and leaves Thopaga in a state of remorse for his evil deeds. His transformation from revenge seeker to inspired saint will be the subject of the second part of the series, scheduled for release in 2009.

Milarepa has all the entertainment value of The Cup and Travellers and Magicians, plus it is filled with Buddhist spiritual teaching that is never heavy-handed. As Chokling Rinpoche states, "His (Milarepa) story shows that the path to enlightenment is accessible to all and can be anyone's aspiration and realization". Chokling's production company, Shining Moon Productions, is now showing the film in festivals, a series of benefit screenings hosted by Sharon Stone, and limited commercial engagements. A DVD release is scheduled for November. After recovery of the film costs, Neten Chokling has pledged to use proceeds for the benefit of his orphans and monks. Highly recommended.