RESOURCES FILM REVIEWS

atya: A Prayer for the one nun confidently and gen- Enemy has won a num- SATYA tly teaches that the Chinese, S ber of Best Film fes- too, “can acquire the wisdom tival awards in the United eye to see what is right and States and Europe in youth, A Prayer for the what is wrong.” “Our enemy education, and documentary is our greatest teacher, teacher film categories. Why is no sur- Enemy of patience and compassion,” prise. This video is a gem and another young nun narrates, well worth purchasing for film “our imprisonment is our libraries. It packs a direct PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY ELLEN BRUNO greatest test of faith. . . . I ask moral punch, and an instruc- IN ENGLISH AND TIBETAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES. that those who imprison us VIDEO: 28 MINUTES, COLOR, 1994. tive one as well, without being DISTRIBUTED BY: be freed from the darkness strident or self-righteous about FILM LIBRARY, NEW DAY FILMS of ignorance, that the clouds incontestable human rights 22-D HOLLYWOOD AVENUE which obscure the truth give violations or cultural geno- HOHOKUS, NEW JERSEY 07423 way to clarity.” cide. In a little less than half an (800) 343-5540 Satya is a Sanskrit term hour of haunting images and which means “truth.” The film touching song and sound lives up to it in every cut and effects, director and producer terse narration. Before the Ellen Bruno allows viewers to Maoist invasion of Tibet in experience for themselves 1949, “to shave the head was aspects of the recent painful to retreat from the world. Now history of Tibet through the it is to enter the world as wit- unembellished testimonies of nesses of truth,” we learn. humble Buddhist nuns who “Monks and nuns have were imprisoned and tortured become the real enemy of the by Chinese Communist troops Chinese. The strength of our who have ravaged their land devotion frightens them,” a and suppressed their religion nun asserts. “When we went to and core values. Since the demonstrate (demonstrations Chinese occupied independent by Buddhist clergy began in Tibet in 1950, it is reasonably 1988), we expected nothing estimated that more than one but death. We are fighting for million people have been tor- the truth and for this we tured, executed, or starved to must be ready to die. The truth death for their role in demon- will find its way. We never strations against the Chinese doubt this.” The deep convic- occupation. tion and strong determination The young nuns, who of these heroic young women appear to be in their teens make Satya a message of hope Photo courtesy of New Day Films or early twenties, are disarm- and courage, rather than a ingly poised and wear their tale of despair and pitiful sufferings lightly. They seem martyrdom. to have transcended anger, Thoughtful high schoolers vituperation, and revenge. and young adults will be Instead, they have chosen impressed by how the young loving sympathy to combat protagonists of this film dealt those who have deprived with their unspeakable suffer- them of everything, including ing with unshaken resolve their country. Speaking for and an almost unbelievably the others, and echoing the generous attitude toward their teachings of the Dalai Lama, torturers. The nuns are totally

78 EDUCATION ABOUT ASIA Volume 4, Number 1 Spring 1999 RESOURCES FILM REVIEWS

self-effacing and nearly invis- ible in their modesty com- pared to modern urban youth’s search for identity and noisy distractions. Their compelling stories make the culturally distant world view of Tibetan Buddhism and a bleak episode of oppression in modern Asian history effortless to learn and hard to forget. The topic remains timely as major political Photo of Ellen Bruno courtesy of powers finesse their policies New Day Films toward China, weighing and weaving human rights con- about the political realities cerns with economic and of Tibet and China must military considerations. go elsewhere. Those who Ellen Bruno spent months wish to explore and experi- in Dharamsala, India, where ence the spiritual depth of the Dalai Lama has set up his Tibetan Buddhism in the government in exile in order face of human suffering to interview nuns who had will be richly rewarded. The escaped from Tibet. She also slow pace of the film and visited Tibet itself to witness easy language of voice over firsthand the effects of the and subtitles can allow it Chinese occupation there. It to be used in ESL teaching was a dangerous mission to with older students and attempt to connect with the adults. A transcript of the resistance movement which complete text, voice-over and the Chinese military was subtitles is available from the forcefully trying to obliterate. producer. n The film contains footage of torture chambers and prison Frank M. Tedesco guards torturing a nun which was actually shot by Chinese soldiers who employ photos and videotape of demonstra- tors in order to identify and FRANK M. TEDESCO, Ph.D., lectures on Buddhist philosophy arrest activists. One of the and sociocultural issues in con- tapes was apparently dropped temporary Buddhist cultures for by a soldier during a protest the University of Maryland Asian Division in Korea and other insti- demonstration and snatched tutions in the Pacific region. He up by a monk who passed it on has published works on bioethics, to a Westerner who brought it death and dying, inter-religious relations, and the education of to an archive in London where Buddhist monastics. He is an Bruno obtained it. advisor to the Korean National This film is not a light Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific documentary about exotic and Cultural Organization and cultural features of mystic other NGOs. Himalayan kingdoms. Those who wish to duck or tiptoe

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