Local Documentary Filmmaker Wins at United Nations Vesak 2014 Film Festival

Arising Light: Dr B R Ambedkar and a New Era in India, a film by David Blundell, Ph.D. of anthropology (University of California) and Prof at National Chengchi University, Taipei, received this year’s Best Documentary Film Award at the United Nations Vesak 2014 Film Festival, 8th May in Vietnam.

47 countriUN_Vesak_2014_Film_Award_Laurelses submitted films related to Buddhist themes; the categories were feature films, documentaries, short films, animated films, and TV series; each category short-listed 5 films for final competion. Sri Siddhartha Gautama (Sri Lanka) was judged the best film in the category of Feature Films. Other awards for Best Actress and Best Photography were given to Four Seasons (South Korea). The Best Animated Film award went to Monkey Hunter (South Korea). Thailand carried away the Best Art Direction award for its films Mindfulness and Murder. Best Short Film award went to The Void (Japan). The best TV Series was awarded to the Path to Enlightenment (Vietnam).

The Film

Arising Light tells the story of Dr B R Ambedkar (1891-1956), who rose from the community of the untouchable (dalit) in India to educate himself in the United States and England. He became a national leader in India’s struggle for equality and justice. He framed the constitution that made India a secular state and gave inspiration for the dharma wheel emblem on the national flag. After independence in 1947, Dr Ambedkar became India’s first Minister of Law. In October, 1956, at Nagpur, in the center of India, with a multitude joining in, he embraced Buddhism.

This current life history film project is the story of this man, equal in stature in India to Gandhi and Nehru, yet not well known elsewhere. The film looks at the historical implications of Dr Ambedkar’s social transformation vis-à-vis the legendary Sakyamuni Buddha’s own revolution 2,500 years ago regarding social and caste limitations and the quest for personal liberation.

The UN Vesak Film Festival

The United Nations International Film Festival was just one of many Buddhist-themed activities held around Vietnam to commemorate the United Nations Day of Vesak 2014, the major Buddhist festival of the year celebrating the birth, awakening, and passing away of the Buddha on one single day – surrounding the first full moon day in May.

The international film festival aims to educate as well as entertain the audiences in an engaging manner. The range of themes for the festival is wide including films on social, contemporary, historical issues, and aspects related to Buddhism around the globe.

The organizing board and 2,500 volunteers received around 10,000 participants, including 1,500 guests from 100 countries and 8,500 local Buddhists and visitors. Activities focused on numerous matters, the most prominent of which were Buddhist responses to sustainable development and social issues, including global warming and environmental protection, wholesome lifestyle, peacekeeping, and post-conflict recovery.

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David Blundell receiving film award. Photo by Jeanette Zerneke.


在地美籍導演榮獲國際影展最佳紀錄片獎。

在地美籍導演卜道榮獲2014年「聯合國衛塞節」慶典「國際衛塞節佛教影展」最佳紀錄片獎。

任教於國UN_Vesak_2014_Film_Award_Laurels立政治大學的美籍教授卜道(David Blundell)所拍攝的影片《曙光:安貝卡博士與他開創的印度新紀元》(Arising Light: Dr B R Ambedkar and a New Era in India),5月8日在越南河內舉辦的「聯合國衛塞節」慶典「2014國際衛塞節佛教影展」中獲選為最佳紀錄片。

關於本影展 —- 聯合國「2014國際衛塞節佛教影展」

衛塞節又稱為佛誕日,許多佛教國家在這一年一度的重要節日中舉行盛大慶典活動。聯合國承認了這個最初起源於南傳佛教傳統紀念佛教創始人釋迦牟尼誕生、成道、涅槃(離世)於同一天的衛塞節日,於是國際正式名稱為「聯合國衛塞節」(United Nations Day of Vesak)。每年衛塞節的日期通常訂在新曆五月的第一個月圓日前後。

今年的「聯合國衛塞節」在越南河內近郊寧平省的東南亞最大寺廟拜訂寺隆重舉行,國際佛教界領袖及代表等約1500人與會。「2014國際衛塞節佛教影展」是此次聯合國衛塞節在越南盛大慶祝佛誕的其中一環。本屆影展有來自47個國家上百部佛教相關主題的影片參賽,區分為劇情片、短片、動畫、紀錄片及電視劇等幾大類,每一類遴選五部作品進入最後決選。

這個國際性影展旨在以入世的態度為閱聽者提供教育與娛樂,影片的主題涵蓋廣大的面向,包括了全球有關佛教在社會、文化、歷史與當代的種種議題。

 

關於本片—-《曙光:安貝卡博士與他開創的印度新紀元》

 

人類學者卜道教授,專長於視覺影像及美學人類學,頃七年之功完成的這部26分鐘影片,紀錄安貝卡博士的一生。安貝卡生而為印度傳統種姓制度下的賤民,他把握機會在美國與英國接受教育。在印度爭取公平與正義的年代,他成為國家追求獨立的領導者之一。印度於1947年脫離英國殖民統治,安貝卡是獨立後的首任司法院院長。他起草制憲,印度成為一個自由平等的國家,而國旗上的法輪徽章,也得自於他的啓發。1956年在印度的地理中心龍城,數十萬人追隨安貝卡博士而皈依了強調眾生平等的佛教。

 

這部「生命史」影片述說安貝卡博士生平,在印度現代史的意義上,他與甘地及尼赫魯地位相當,但在印度本土以外卻鮮為人知。這部影片直視安貝卡博士帶給印度社會轉變的歷史意義,與2500年前的傳奇人物佛祖釋迦牟尼追求個人解脫的自我革命,兩者都展現了在時代社會意義與傳統種姓制度中努力掙脫枷鎖的追求與奮戰。

 

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卜道(左)於聯合國衛塞節「2014國際衛塞節佛教影展」

 

瞭解本片相關訊息網站:www.arising-light.org

或電郵:navaloka@gmail.com(Navaloka Productions)

 

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David Blundell receiving film award. Photo by Jeanette Zerneke.