Presents LOOKING for a LADY with FANGS and a MOUSTACHE Written and Directed by Khyentse Norbu (The Cup, Travellers and Magic

Presents

LOOKING FOR A LADY WITH FANGS AND A MOUSTACHE

Virtual Live Premiere on April 8, 2021 and Worldwide Watch Now @ Home Cinema Release on April 9, 2021

Written and Directed by Khyentse Norbu (The Cup, Travellers and Magicians, Vara: A Blessing)

Produced by Max Dipesh Khatri Executive Produced by Olivia Harrison, Zhuangzhuang Tian, Ram Raju, Aona Liu, and Kate McCreery Cinematographer Mark Lee Ping-bing (In the Mood For Love) Starring: Tsering Tashi Gyalthang, Tulku Kunzang, Orgen Tobgyal Rinpoche, Tenzin Kunsel, Tulku Ngawang Tenzin, Rabindra Singh Baniya

Official Selection of: Tribeca Film Festival, Osaka Film Festival, and Morelia International Film Festival

For More Information, Please Contact: [email protected] | [email protected] Falco Ink. 212-445-7100

Gitesh Pandya [email protected]

LOGLINE When a series of visions send a skeptical entrepreneur to seek spiritual advice, an eccentric Buddhist monk predicts his imminent death, unless he can locate an elusive lady with fangs.

SYNOPSIS KATHMANDU, NEPAL: TENZIN (30’s, Tibetan, driven by worldly success) is single-mindedly focused on creating Kathmandu’s first “European style” cafe. While hunting for the perfect location, he visits a long- abandoned temple in the center of Kathmandu, snapping photographs of the ancient sacred art. Later that day, during a music lesson with his closest friend JACHUNG (30’s, Tibetan, hopeless romantic, and devoted Buddhist), Tenzin has a strange vision of a young girl in a poppy field, singing a haunting tune. Jolted back to reality, he pushes the image out of his mind -- just a peculiar reaction to stress, he’s sure.

Tenzin awakens to another chilling hallucination, this time of his long-dead sister. He confides in Jachung, who insists that Tenzin seek advice from a notorious Buddhist monk oracle, warning “this could be a bad omen.” Tenzin, a committed atheist, balks at Jachung’s alarm, brushing him off as superstitious.

Tenzin’s visions increase as he stubbornly forges ahead with his cafe plans, finally finding a location in a trendy area of Kathmandu. Convinced his luck has changed, he throws a party to celebrate. When Jachung arrives with the MONK ORACLE (20’s, addicted to his iPad, always in sunglasses) in tow, Tenzin reluctantly agrees to a private audience and relays a detailed account of his visions.

The monk makes a terrifying prediction -- Tenzin’s visions are a sign that his “life force” is running out, and death is imminent. Unconvinced by the monk’s diagnosis he visits a doctor but is disappointed to discover there is no medical explanation for his visions. Throughout it all, Tenzin tries his best to carry on with day-to-day life. KUNSEL (20’s, a gifted musician and Jachung’s crush) tutors Tenzin and Jachung as they prepare for a performance of the Dramyin (the traditional Himalayan lute beloved by Tenzin’s mother) and development begins at his new cafe. But Tenzin’s visions become more and more frightening. With mystical and magical experiences invading his life, his carefully constructed reality begins to unravel. In desperation, Tenzin visits the monk again, this time prepared to take his advice seriously.

Now the prediction is even more alarming: Tenzin has been cursed, and will certainly die in seven days unless he can find a “dakini” (a mysterious living being -- the embodiment of Buddhist teachings on “feminine energy”). The monk sends Tenzin to a BUDDHIST MASTER (60’s, master of the “Left-Hand Lineage” -- a grumpy, enlightened sage) who gives specific instructions: When he finds a woman with fangs, a moustache, and perhaps a third eye, he must offer her a gift, of food, tools, shells, or a single shoe. Ideally, if she is a dakini, she will offer him a gift in return but if not, he is instructed to steal something from her. Finally, in order to confirm his discovery, the master gives Tenzin a highly guarded and secret “mudra” (a sacred hand gesture). If the fanged woman is truly a dakini she will understand the mudra and reveal herself. But there is a catch -- Tenzin can only safely perform the mudra three times.

Tenzin retreats from everything once important to him -- the coffee shop, his business partners, and friends, trolling the Kathmandu streets searching for a dakini. Day after day Tenzin fails and returns to the master for further teachings and advice. On the sixth and final day of his life, a hopeless Tenzin travels to the country to bid farewell to his mother, and on his way back he runs into Kunsel. Viewed in a new light, is it possible that Kunsel, who had been so close this entire time, is the dakini? Finally, suspending all disbelief, he performs the secret mudra for Kunsel but to his dismay, she looks at him in confusion and rushes away. Tenzin continues to wander the streets until he spots another potential dakini in a crowded market. Desperate to save himself in his final hours, he steals the woman’s purse and runs off into the night. Uncertain whether his actions have saved him, he awaits the new day, terrified.

The sun rises on the seventh day, illuminating Tenzin, still alive. Joyous, and with a renewed appreciation for life, he rushes to Jachung’s house and together they find Kunsel to share the good news. As they greet each other, Kunsel shocks Tenzin by performing the secret mudra.

Is Kunsel truly a dakini who saved Tenzin’s life, or was it all an elaborate ruse to force Tenzin into embracing his mystical and religious heritage? Either way, his near-death experience has transformed him forever, from a rational businessman with his head down, to a spiritual seeker with an open heart.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT In this modern, scientific world – a world on the verge of creating artificial intelligence, and a world that disparages anything not amenable to reason – I try in this film to explore some of the last genuine residues of Tibetan mysticism. Even among Tibetans themselves, their traditional beliefs and ways of behaving and looking at the world are increasingly rare and today carry little if any weight. And yet, I believe this ancient wisdom, which reflects the Buddhist view of reality, has something vital to offer our modern world. Especially, I intend this film to express the deep respect for feminine energy embodied in that wisdom, and to portray in a contemporary setting both the transformative power of this energy and some of the ways it has traditionally been evoked.

Because it brings together so dramatically these modern and ancient worlds, I felt Nepal to be an ideal setting for this film. Besides the mountains and trekking for which it is popularly known, Nepal is a very spiritual and magical place, and I want to capture that quality both through the eyes of local inhabitants and in the way the film is shot.

For example, I will give the audience plenty of time for contemplation, so images may not move fast and may even stand still for a period. As well, I want to catch the magical qualities of life through the eyes of a character who is really panicked, which we’ll do by using hand-held cameras. It’s precisely because this film will evoke contemplation that I wanted to work with the Director of Photography Mark Lee Ping Bing. I have always had the highest respect for his sensitivity, contemplative style, and amazing capacity to capture images..

I used only non-professional actors, not only because – unlike in the west – there are few trained actors in Nepal, but also because the characters I am trying to portray have to be really genuine. For example, one of the characters is portrayed by an actual highly respected spiritual master whose qualities and demeanor a hundred thousand trained actors could not fathom let alone convey.

Sadly, these days, we see everything from fashion and consumer goods to storytelling, books and films increasingly produced according to set formulae that are proven to “sell the product.” Though few films today escape the enormous influence of the Hollywood and Bollywood formulae, I want to explore in this film a distinctive Himalayan way of expression and storytelling that is true to this region’s culture, tradition and wisdom.

In such ways, and through its atmosphere and techniques, I hope this film will transport audiences to a profound, mystical, and yet very real and accessible dimension of life with which our modern world is sadly and rapidly losing touch. - Khyentse Norbu

FILMMAKER BIOS

KHYENTSE NORBU | Director

Born in 1961 in Bhutan, Khyentse Norbu has written and directed several award-winning feature films, receiving accolades and honors at numerous prestigious international film festivals.

His first film The Cup (1999) became an international sensation after its premiere screening at the Cannes Film Festival’s prestigious Director’s Fortnight. It went on to win critical acclaim and official selections at major festivals worldwide, including Sundance, Hong Kong, London and Moscow. It won awards at four international festivals, including an International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) award at Busan and an audience award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Norbu’s second film, Travellers & Magicians (2003), was the first full-length feature film shot in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. It premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and went on to the Toronto, Busan, Golden Horse (Taipei), Sao Paulo, London, Sydney, Moscow and other international film festivals, winning three awards.

His third feature film Vara: A Blessing (2013), based on a short story by Bengali author Sunil Gangopadhyay and filmed in Sri Lanka, attracted top international collaborators including award-winning cinematographer Bradford Young and acclaimed editor William Chang and starred Indian ingenue, Shahana Goswami.

Vara premiered as the Opening Film at the Busan International Film Festival and went on to screen at several film festivals world-wide including the BFI London Film Festival, the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, and the Tribeca International Film Festival, where it had its North American Premiere and won the Best Feature Film award at the Tribeca Online Film Festival.

Hema Hema: Sing Me a Song While I Wait (2016), the director's fourth feature film, is probably his most personal to date. Shot in remote parts of Bhutan on a very low budget, the film premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and was screened at the Toronto, Busan, Singapore, and Malaysian International Film Festivals, and at the London BFI, JIO Mama (Mumbai), Osaka Asian, and Taipei Golden Horse Film Festivals.

The film won the audience choice award at the 2016 Golden Global Awards at the Malaysian International Film Festival and ‘Honorable Mention’ at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival Platforms Prize.

Known in the Buddhist world as Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Norbu brings to his films a profound and subtle mastery and understanding of Buddhist philosophy and practice. He is an internationally renowned Buddhist teacher, best-selling author of several books, founder of several major philanthropic organizations, and head of monasteries and institutes of Buddhist Studies in Tibet, India and Bhutan.

MARK LEE PING-BING | Cinematographer

Mark Lee Ping-Bing, born 8 August 1954, is a Taiwanese cinematographer, photographer and author with over 70 films and 21 international awards to his credit including two Glory Of The Country Awards from the Government Information Office of Taiwan and the president of Taiwan’s Light Of The Cinema Award. Lee began his film career in 1977 and in 1985 he started his prolific collaboration with Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien. Known best for his use of natural lighting utilizing real film and graceful cam era movement, Lee received the Grand Technical Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000 for In the Mood for Love. A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Lee was honored with nominations by the American Society of Cinematographers for its 2014 First Annual Spotlight Award for Best Cinematography for his work on the 2012 film Renoir and by the French Academy of Cinema Arts for a Cesar Award for Best Cinematography in 2014 also for the film Renoir.

OLIVIA HARRISON | Executive Producer

Olivia Harrison is a Mexican-American film producer, philanthropist and the widow of musician George Harrison of The Beatles. Olivia produced the Grammy award winning film of the 2002 Concert For George which she organized to benefit the Material World Foundation in memory of George. Olivia also received an Emmy for Outstanding Nonfiction Special from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2012 for her role as producer on the Martin Scorsese directed documentary: George Harrison: Living in the Material World. She curated books to accompany both these films, and in 2017 compiled a revised edition of George's 1980 autobiography: I, Me, Mine.

ABOUT SHATKON ARTS

Shatkon Arts was established in 2006 with the primary objective of developing, fostering and supporting a culture of independent theatre and film in Nepal’s emerging arts industry. Established by dedicated theatre artists and film enthusiasts, Shatkon Arts also aims to showcase Nepalese culture and arts in the international arena and thereby to expand their scope and influence. In particular, Shatkon Arts aspires to provide a robust and supportive platform for young, creative Nepalese minds to explore, develop and make their mark in Nepal’s art and culture world.

In its initial years Shatkon Arts produced several plays that were performed in various national and international theatre festivals, including performances were at the Aarohan National Theatre Festival (2007), Kathmandu International Theatre Festival (2008), Patumthani International Theatre Festival, Thailand (2009), and Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland (2009).

In 2014, Shatkon Arts produced Nepal’s multiple award-winning film Talakjung vs Tulke that was selected as the Nepalese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards. Its latest production Jatra (2016) also won multiple awards, including Nepal’s best film, best director and best actor in the 2017 national critics’ awards.

Shatkon Arts is now home to Nepal’s leading producers and is particularly committed to nurturing, supporting and training young talent; giving promising young Nepalese film makers, cameramen, sound, lighting and other technicians the opportunity to work alongside highly qualified professionals in large productions; and otherwise building a strong, viable and creative film industry in Nepal.

About Abramorama

Abramorama is the preeminent global theatrical distribution and rights management partner for documentary and music films and is recognized for the consistent high quality of its work on award winning features. An innovator in the focused, personalized form of film marketing, promotion, distribution and live, event and digital cinema, Abramorama provides invaluable alternatives to filmmakers while continuing to trail-blaze exciting new pathways to defined audiences.

Over the course of 20 years, Abramorama has successfully distributed and marketed hundreds of films, including Ron Howard’s Grammy Award®-winning The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years; Stanley Nelson’s Miles Davis: Birth of The Cool; Atlantic Records and Melanie Martinez’ K-12; John McDermott’s Jimi Hendrix: Electric Church; Amir Bar-Lev's Long Strange Trip – The Untold Story of the Grateful Dead; Tabbert Fiiller’s The Public Image Is Rotten; Danny Clinch and Pearl Jam’s Let’s Play Two; Corbett Redford and Green Day’s Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk; John Scheinfeld’s Chasing Trane – The John Coltrane Documentary; Roberta Grossman and Nancy Spielberg’s Who Will Write Our History; Brett Bern's BANG! The Bert Berns Story; Brett Morgen and National Geographic’s seminal Jane; Asif Kapadia’s Senna; Neil Young’s vast catalog of Bernard Shakey Productions; Cameron Crowe’s Pearl Jam Twenty; Sacha Gervasi’s Spirit Award-winning Anvil! The Story of Anvil; Banksy’s Academy Award® nominated & Spirit Award-winning Exit Through the Gift Shop; Laurie Anderson’s New York Times critics’ pick, Heart of a Dog; Showtime’s National Board of Review Winner Listen to Me Marlon; Academy Award®- nominee and IDA Best Documentary Winner The Look of Silence; and the episodic multi-platform series Deconstructing The Beatles. Abramorama is a founding partner of The Seventh Art Stand program, an act of cinematic solidarity against Islamophobia, that ran in more than 50 theaters across the United States in May of 2017. Abramorama launched a conscious films imprint, Mangurama, in 2018 alongside its music- centric film fund focused on the global release of iconic music documentaries. In January of 2019 the company launched the live multicast streaming enterprise ABCinemaNOW.com with the global live introduction, interstitial programming, and Q&A from Paris, France for the 55-country release of Who Will Write Our History. In 2020 Abramorama Selects was launched providing a gateway for select films across global VOD platforms. For more information visit abramorama.com.

END CREDITS

A Shatkon Arts Production In Association with

Kun Kum Production Philosojoy Production

Presents

Tsering Tashi Gyalthang Tulku Kungzang Ngawang Tenzin Tenzin Kunsel In

LOOKING FOR A LADY WITH FANGS AND A MOUSTACHE

Nepal the land of "Mount Everest", the abode of the sacred mother where an infant girl is still revered above all. Reverence for the sacred feminine may be waning, but the dakinis still grace the streets of Kathmandu.

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Written and Directed by Khyentse Norbu

Produced by Max Dipesh Khatri

Director of Photography Mark Lee Ping Bing

Editor Yu Tao

Supervising Sound Editors Tu Duu-Chih, Wu Shu-Yao

Executive Producers Zhuangzhuang Tian Olivia Harrison Ram Raju Aona Liu Kate McCreery

Producer Rabindra Singh Baniya

Production Designer Emily Avery Yoshiko Crow Music by Mars Radio Make-up Maya Hardinge Location Sound Mixer Chen Yu-Chieh

1st Assistant Director Fernanda Rivero Costume Designer Jamyang Choden

Cast

Unique Yellow Dress Girl Barkha Rai Young Yeti Chokho Girl Chhanya Pradhan Tenzin’s Sister Dechen Dolkar Dev Divya Dev Red Face Motorcycle Woman Jasmi Gurung Karma Karma Shakya Tenzin’s Mother Kelsang Chukie Tethong Music Teacher Loten Namling Make-up Artist Maya Hardinge Young Tea Vendor Nistha Sinnya Flower Eating Woman Olena Skoryk Master of Left Hand Lineage Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche Parikshit Parikshit B. Rana Fashion Photographer Penelope Tree Rabindra Rabindra Singh Baniya Astrologer Rangdrol Namdrol Sangpo Tea Vendor Mother Sarada Giri Hippy Café Server Serena Edwards Doctor Shreeti Pradhan Kunsel Tenzin Kunsel Tenzin Tsering Tashi Gyalthang Jachung Tulku Kunzang Monk Tulku Ngawang Tenzin Singer at Café Luwaks Poo Yunggiema

“A Little Rain" Written by Kathleen Brennan and Tom Waits Published by Jalma Music (ASCAP) Performed by Tom Waits Courtesy of Island Records (US) Under licence from Universal Music Operations Ltd.

"Cucurrucucú paloma" Written by Tomás Méndez. Published by Promotora Hispano Americana de Música,S.A.de C.V. (PHAM) Performed by Ericka Grovas and Miguel Ignacio Peña. Arranged by Miguel Ignacio peña. Production Fernanda Rivero and Ángel Sebastián Cortés.

“Kutu Ma Kutu Supari Dana” Lyrics: Rajan Raj Shiwakoti Music: Rajan Raj Shiwakoti Vocals: Rajan Raj Shiwakoti/Melina Rai/ Rajan Ishan © Highlights Nepal Pvt. Ltd. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved.