Himalayan wisdom imparted in new film
‘Bon and the West’ – third in series – lights up BuddhaFest
TAOS FILMMAKERS Andrea Heckman and Ken O’Neil were overjoyed when they received the acceptance of their film “Bon and the West” to the International Buddhist Film Festival.
The festival was scheduled for June in Oakland, California. Due to the pandemic, it was, of course, canceled; but an exciting opportunity to see the selected films is being offered by the BuddhaFest Online Film Festival, June 22 through Aug. 16.
BuddhaFest is presenting seven new films, interviews, talks and music. Among the interviews, one is with filmmaker Heckman about Bon, one of the world’s oldest spiritual traditions.
“Thousands of years ago in ancient Tibet, there existed a vast kingdom known as Zhang Zhung, whose religion, Bon, has continued throughout history,” reads the press release for the film. “Today at Menri Monastery in Northern India and Triten Norbutse in Kathmandu, Nepal, young monks and nuns carry on the Bon teachings and lineage, not only in the lands of the Himalayas, but also to countries around the world, where Western students now embrace Bon methods and practices for finding compassion and joy amid the technological and often chaotic world.”
This film is the third that the filmmakers have made on the subject of the ancient spiritual practices of Bon. The first film was co-produced by
BUDDHAFEST ONLINE
June 22 – Aug. 16
Visit buddhafestonline.com for a $30 pass to the entire festival, including “Bon and the West” and six other new Buddhist films, as well as talks by Matthieu Ricard, Lama Surya Das, Lama Tsutrim Allione and more.
Heckman and Rose Gordon, both of Taos, and the second film included assistance by Taos high-altitude medical specialist, Dr. Quigley Peterson.
The third, “Bon and the West,” included production assistance of Taos’ Johnny Long. Tad Fettig of New York and Taos is the director of photography for all three films. While the films are a series, each is a stand-alone documentary about Bon practices, concepts and leading teachers and scholars.
“Bon and the West” was shown last October to a full house at the Taos Community Auditorium. For those who missed this screening, the BuddhaFest Online is a great way to see this newest film. Included as an extra in the screening is an interview by festival coordinator Gaetano Kazuo Maida with Heckman about the making of the three films.
“How wonderful that this process of making three films on Bon actually started here in Taos when a good friend, Rose Gordon, hosted Asonam Gurung for Bon teachings at her home,” explained Heckman. “Actually my first contact with Bon was high in the Andean Mountains at the sacred pilgrimage of Qoyllur Rit’i. Rose and I co-produced the first film, ‘Bon: Mustang to Menri,’ traveling with Tad Fettig and Ken O’Neil to Mustang, Nepal, and Northern India to film.
“As we were hiking out of Mustang, Tad and I agreed we wanted to come back to nearby Dolpo, where many ancient Bon texts were in hidden monastery libraries. Tad, Ken and I along with Dr. Peterson made the 22-day trek through Upper Dolpo to gather footage for that film.
“A year or so went by, and we realized there was one more film about the dramatic impact Bon teachings are having on Westerners. The meditative practices of Dzogchen give peace and insights to many people in the fast-paced, chaotic modern world. We ended up traveling to France, Poland, India, Mexico and in the USA to capture the footage for the story of this new film. We feel very lucky to have had the adventures making all three films.”
Taos filmmaker Johnny Long has an extensive résumé spanning decades as an actor, producer, production designer and art director for dozens of films, television shows and stage productions. He did drone cinematography for “Bon and the West,” and is himself a Dzogchen practitioner.
“Especially now, Bon Buddhism and these practices are essential,” Long said. “We live under the illusion of separateness, and we’ve been under the illusion that what we do doesn’t affect everyone else. But everyone is deeply and miraculously connected to every other living thing.
“In Dzogchen, there is a recognition that at your essence, you are joyous and kind and loving and aware. That wisdom and compassion are primordial. The scourge of modern times is the idea that we are not enough. Dzogchen is the recognition that darkness can’t radiate, only light can do that, and you can be the light walking into the room, illuminating everything.
“That’s what is beautiful about Dzogchen. It actually takes more energy to stay in the dark. Wisdom and clarity is at your essence already. It’s a confession that those things are at your essence. It’s revealing something that’s already there.”