Dalai Lama Renaissance with Harrison Ford - UPDATED

This announcement came to my inbox today:

Dalai Lama Renaissance” is the first theatrical film about the Dalai Lama in U.S. since international spotlight on China and Tibet; Narrator Harrison Ford expresses support for the Dalai Lama.

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" playing for ONE NIGHT ONLY at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado on this Thursday, May 29 at 8 p.m. (Email from the Director-Producer added below.)

“Dalai Lama Renaissance,” an award-winning 80 minute documentary film narrated by actor Harrison Ford, holds its U.S. theatrical premiere on May 23 in San Francisco .

“Dalai Lama Renaissance,” produced and directed by Khashyar Darvich, is the first film about the Dalai Lama and Tibet to open theatrically in the United States since the international spotlight placed on China for its firm handling of Tibetan protestors speaking out against Chinese policies in Tibet.

San Francisco recently experienced protests over the running of the Olympic torch in the city, a few months before the Summer Olympic Games, which are scheduled to begin in Beijing on August 8.

In the documentary, the Dalai Lama discusses the calls for economic sanctions against China , and emphasizes that he could not support economic sanctions towards China since it would hurt the ordinary Chinese poor.

“Dalai Lama Renaissance” opens one day after the premiere of Harrison Ford’s “Indiana Jones 4,” which opens internationally on May 22, and is only among a small handful of documentaries that Ford has chosen to narrate during his career.

"I narrated Dalai Lama Renaissance,” says Harrison Ford, “because I believe His Holiness is making a positive influence in our world. For me, the film represented an opportunity to continue assisting the optimistic efforts of an extraordinary individual.”

In 1995, Ford spoke to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee about Chinese policy in Tibet :

Ford told the Congressional panel: “The Tibetan struggle is no ordinary freedom struggle… It is a path of non-violence… As an American who cares deeply about justice, freedom and democracy, I can tell you that this is a cause that touches at the core of our own values. It is about the survival of a people who seek only to democratically determine their own government, to have the freedom to practice their own religion without interference, and to bring up their children in a safe environment where they can be proud of their unique heritage.”

“Dalai Lama Renaissance” premieres theatrically in the United States on May 23 in San Francisco at the Roxie Theater, and in Santa Fe, New Mexico at the Santa Fe Film Center. On May 29, the film screens theatrically at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado, and then begins a theatrical run in Portland on June 28. It is expected to play in several additional cities across the U.S.

On October 30, the film opens theatrically in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and will be released in Holland and Belgium in November. It is expected to be released in several other countries around the world before the end of the year.

“Dalai Lama Renaissance” has won 12 film festival awards, and is the official selection of 38 film festivals around the world, where it consistently has attracted sold out audiences.

The film tells the story of 40 Western innovative thinkers who travel to India in the Himalayan Mountains to meet with the Dalai Lama to solve many of the world’s problems. What happened was surprising and unexpected, and was captured by a five camera, 18 person crew.

The film features two of the starring quantum physicists from the hit theatrical documentary “What the Bleep Do We Know,” Physicists Fred Alan Wolf and Amit Goswami. Also appearing in “Dalai Lama Renaissance” are Michael Beckwith (who appears in the film “The Secret” with Wolf), Air America radio host Thom Hartmann, and others.

Visit the film's Web site at http://dalailamafilm.com.

Email from Producer-Director Khashyar Darvich:
May 27, 2008

Hello Everyone,

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" (narrated by Harrison Ford) has it's Boulder-Denver area Theatrical Premiere at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado on Thursday, May 29 at 8 p.m.

Producer-Director Khashyar Darvich will appear in person for a Q&A after the screening.

Ticket information can be found here: http://www.bouldertheater.com/event_detail.php?id=867

Along with featuring intimate, personal moments with the Dalai Lama, the documentary features Michael Beckwith (from "The Secret"), Quantum Physicists Fred Alan Wolf and Amit Goswami from "What the Bleep Do We Know," Air America radio host and author Thom Hartmann, and others.

"Dalai Lama Renaissance is about Forty of the world’s most innovative thinkers who travel to India in the Himalayan Mountains to meet with the Dalai Lama to solve many of the world’s problems. What happened was surprising and unexpected. Narrated by actor Harrison Ford.

"Dalai Lama Renaissance" is the official selection of 38 film festivals around the world, and has won 12 awards.

Film Critic John Griffin of the Montreal Gazette calls 'Dalai Lama Renaissance' "a provocative, even enlightening film... fascinating, ravishingly beautiful and sonically soothing."

Amy Wong of LA Yoga Magazine writes: "it is a stunning tour-de-force [and an] intimate glimpse into the Dalai Lama's life."

You can read reviews of the film, and find other information here: www.DalaiLamaFilm.com

For Ticket information, please visit: http://www.bouldertheater.com/event_detail.php?id=867

Here are the days and times when "Dalai Lama Renaissance" is playing at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado:

Beginning Date of Theatrical Exhibition: May 29, 2008 - 8 p.m.
Theater Name: The Boulder Theater
Address of Theater: 2032 14th Street, Boulder, CO
Website: www.bouldertheater.com
Contact Phone: (303) 786-7030
Contact Email: www.bouldertheater.com/contact.php


Thank you for informing others in the Boulder-Denver area about the screening.

I look forward to speaking with you at the screening at the Q&A

Khashyar Darvich
Producer-Director
"Dalai Lama Renaissance"
www.DalaiLamaFilm.com