Richard Gere is a follower of Buddhism and a friend of the Dalai Lama. Now, he is producing a documentary about the spiritual leader.
Hollywood star Richard Gere, 74, is a spiritual person. Since the early 1990s, the Protestant-raised actor has embraced Buddhism and has been regularly seen alongside Tenzin Gyatso, 89, the current incarnation of the Dalai Lama.
Advocacy for Human Rights in Tibet
To be close to the head of Tibetan Buddhism, he even lived for a while in Dharamsala, northern India, the exile residence of the Dalai Lama and the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile. Since 1995, Gere has been the chairman of the human rights organization “International Campaign for Tibet,” which advocates for democratic self-determination and the protection of human rights in Chinese-occupied Tibet.
“Second Most Famous Buddhist in the World”
However, in an interview with the “Süddeutsche Zeitung,” the actor called the title of “second most famous Buddhist in the world,” which he is often given due to his prominent advocacy, “ridiculous and shameful.”
Richard Gere will now support the Dalai Lama’s mission on a cinematic level. Along with producer and director Oren Moverman, 58, he will serve as an executive producer for the Swiss documentary film “Wisdom of Happiness.” According to the press release, the film will create “a poignant cinematic exploration of the innermost thoughts of the Dalai Lama.”
“A Fine Film That Can Have a Great Impact on the Future”
The documentary is scheduled for a worldwide cinema release in fall/winter 2024 and is described as “the Dalai Lama’s philosophical legacy on the big screen.” Co-producer Richard Gere is quoted in the press release regarding the potential impact of the documentary: “This is a fine film that can have a great impact on the future.” Fellow filmmaker Moverman added, “As a filmmaker, I am deeply grateful for the invitation to participate in this truly unique film, which beautifully translates kind-heartedness into the picturesque visual language of cinema.”
