DOC NYC 2018 - A Little Wisdom
See the world through the eyes of five-year-old Tibetan novice monk Hopakuli and share in his joys and sorrows as he endures the rigors of monastic life. A Little Wisdom endeavours to tell a story of children who find happiness through simple life and the power of their imaginations inside monasteries.
Interview with Director Yuqi Kang
Watch A Little Wisdom on Vimeo on demand, Vudu, Prime Video and iTunes
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I made A Little Wisdom while I was attending the MFA Social Documentary program at School of Visual Arts. During the second year of our study, we will be able to pitch a thesis idea, because I have previously worked in Nepal and had read about Lumbini on Lonely Planet. I decided to pitch this idea as my thesis film
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
My experience of making A Little Wisdom made me realize how people view Buddhism is mostly based on a romanticized idea that has been taken from film and literature. In reality, there are many different layers and levels to Buddhism and Buddhists; because people have not been introduced to these angles, when they see Buddhist monks they often forget that they are just human like us. In the end, I realized it’s the label we put on each other. Joys and sorrows are universal emotions no matter the religion, culture or language.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Our main character is a five-year-old Tibetan novice. He is like every young child, he craves attention and love. The monks have only limited materialistic things yet to be happy doesn’t require much. Living with them also teaches me to not to take life experiences for granted.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
As our friendship develops, the stories of our characters start to unfold naturally. We don’t really have a script into production.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
When we screened the film in North America, I have audiences often coming up to me concerning the level of violence that was showcased between the brothers. Some audiences found it quite disturbing to watch. When we screened the film in Asia, audiences often come up and told me that it reminded them of their own siblings. It was interesting for me to learn the very different responses from different cultures.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
The more we shared the film with international audiences, the more I realized despite all the differences we are all quite similar. It was heartwarming to know emotions can be translated this way and to realize the power of cinema.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I believe social media is the most effective tool to bring attentions to indie films, I hope the story in our film can be heard by more people. Also, to be connected with other indie filmmakers.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We would love to be connected with journalists and buyers to push up the chances for our film to be seen by as many audiences as possible.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope my film would lead some positive change to my character’s life.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
When people watch the film, they often were shocked by how little the young monks have and the level of care they have received in the monastery. Yet in comparison to the majority of children from rural villages in Nepal, the life in the monastery has improved so much.
Would you like to add anything else?
I would like to thank all the audience joining us for A Little Wisdom during DOC NYC.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
As the director, I am currently developing a narrative feature that is executive produced by Pema Tseden. The co-producer Amitabha Joshi is in pre-production with his producing partner for another feature documentary. Paola Ochoa, the cinematographer, is working to finish her feature documentary Sisters which will be in festivals late next year.
Interview: November 2018the
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A Little Wisdom
See the world through the eyes of five-year-old Tibetan novice monk Hopakuli and share in his joys and sorrows as he endures the rigors of monastic life. A Little Wisdom endeavours to tell a story of children who find happiness through simple life and the power of their imaginations inside monasteries.
Length: 92
Director: Yuqi Kang
Producer: Maro Chermayeff, Sean Farnel
About the writer, director and producer:
Yuqi Kang was born in Inner Mongolia, China. Her feature documentary, A Little Wisdom (17), premiered at Busan, SXSW, Karlovy Vary, and Shanghai, and was awarded Best Canadian Documentary Feature at Hot Docs. She is currently developing her first narrative feature, Keeping the Love Alive, which explores the well-being of China’s single-child generation.
Key cast:
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): buyers, journealists
Social media handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alittlewisdom/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/littlewisdomdoc
Hashtags you use:#alittlewisdom #alittlewisdomdoc
Where was this filmed? Lumbini, Nepal
Funders: Telefilm Canada
Made in association with: School of Visual Arts
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
We are showcasing A Little Wisdom at RIDM the following week after DOC NYC. A Little Wisdom will be available on iTunes after RIDM.