“Bhikkhunī – Buddhism, Sri Lanka, Revolution”(“Mistrzynie życia duchowego. Buddyzm, Sri Lanka, rewolucja”) is a documentary film about the revival of women’s ordination in Theravāda Buddhism.

Shortly after Enlightenment, the Buddha said: “I shall not come to my final passing away, until my bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples… ” Even though the Buddha established the bhikkhunī order, the line of female ordination in the Theravāda tradition died out in the 11th century. Since then, it is a common belief that nuns can no longer be ordained.

The documentary, “Bhikkhunī – Buddhism, Sri Lanka, Revolution”,  presents the story of women who, in order to implement the Buddha’s teachings, however against the opinion of the monks’ Saṅgha, have become fully ordained bhikkhunīs – Buddhist nuns in the Theravāda tradition. The film’s protagonists are Bhikkhunī Kusuma from Sri Lanka (ordained in 1996 in India), Bhikkhunī Dhammananda from Thailand (ordained in 2003 in Sri Lanka) and Bhikkhunī Gautami from Bangladesh (ordained in 2016 in Sri Lanka) – the first women in their countries’ modern history to become fully ordained nuns.

 

 

“… an inspiring and empowering documentary …”

Khyentse Foundation

 

“Amazing insight into the changing times of religion”

Mark Pearce

 

AWARDS
  •  AFC Global Fest, Kolkata – Best international documentary
  •  Viva Film Festival, Sarajevo – First prize in the religious movie category  (v. 24 min.)

 

CREDITS

  • Genre: documentary
  • Time: 70 min.
  • Script, director, cinematography, editing, production: Małgorzata Dobrowolska
  • Consultations: Piotr Jagodziński
  • Cast: Bhikkhunī Kusuma, Bhikkhunī Dhammananda, Bhikkhunī Gautami, Ellen Posman, Kirama Wimalajothi Thero, Bhikkhu Sujato, Bhikkhunī Vijithananda
  • Music: Kalina Światnicka, Hubert Jabłoński (ethnic flutes: Wojtek Sakowicz)
  • Translation: Piotr Jagodziński, Anna Kamińska
  • Sound edition: Krzysztof Horn
  • Production: Poland (2017/2018)
  • Distribution: Wonderwoods Film Foundation (Fundacja Filmowa Wonderwoods)
  • Trailer: https://youtu.be/e3BcJBiR60E
  • Website: https://bhikkhuni-film.com
  • Facebook: www.facebook.com/mistrzynie
  • Polish title: Mistrzynie życia duchowego. Buddyzm, Sri Lanka, rewolucja
  • Founding: Khyentse Foundation, Wonderwoods Film Foundation