The 45-minute documentary features a former Buddhist monk who leaves the United States to become a mentor to 85 children.
It follows Tashi, a feisty five-year-old orphan, as she meets the former monk, Lobsang Phuntsok and transitions into the educational community he created in his home country to provide a safe, caring home for at-risk children.
Called “encapsulated, charming and thoughtful,” by Forbes Magazine, the film won a 2016 Emmy for outstanding short documentary, as well as 25 international and children’s film awards in France, Boston, Pakistan, New Zealand and more in the past two years.
UK filmmaker Andrew Hinton visited the Jhamtse Gatsal Children’s Community in 2012 and was inspired to document its remarkable kindness with his co-director Johnny Burke. The community is a school and home for children who have faced adversity in remote, northeastern India. It is now in its 11th year of operation.
The film takes place Thursday, January 19 in the Stan Hagen Theatre at NIC’s Comox Valley campus. Doors open at 6:30 pm, with the film starting at 7 pm. A short discussion will follow the film.
Admission is by donation to NIC's Global Learning Initiative, a student-driven project which fosters awareness of global issues through partnerships with local communities and individuals. It has supported nursing students’ experiences in remote communities in Uganda, Nepal and Mozambique and it continues to strengthen cultural understandings through field schools to Aboriginal and global communities.
Chocolate and coffee will be available to purchase at the event to support the initiative.
For more information, contact Lynne Oberik at 250-334-5061 or email lynne.oberik@nic.bc.ca.
Media Contact
Christiana Wiens
Media Liaison, North Island College
O. 250-334-5280 | M. 250-218-4097
christiana.wiens@nic.bc.ca
