“Walk With Me” Documentary Premieres in Texas

Last month, seven Plum Village monastics supported the launch of the world premiere of “Walk With Me“, the new documentary on Thich Nhat Hanh’s community, at SXSW film festival in Austin, Texas.

From 11-15th March, they held a series of mindfulness and meditation sessions for festival-goers, including mindful walking, sunset meditation, and a sitting flashmob.

The documentary features monastics from North America, Europe and Vietnam. Br Phap Huu (second from right), Brother Phap Linh (left) and Sister Peace (center) all feature in the movie.
The director and monastics introduced the film and shared about the unusual process of filming in a monastic setting over three years.
The audience participated in a meditative experience from the beginning of the event. The monastics invited a sound of the bell for everyone to breathe mindfully. The cinema was transformed into a meditation hall.

 

The film has received many excellent reviews, even from critics with no experience of mindfulness or Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings.

The Hollywood Reporter‘Heartfelt […] Sublime’

Alejandro G. Inarritu (in Variety) “silent and pure,” / “I loved how [the filmmakers] capture and convey, cinematically, the sometimes inexplicable state of being awakened. It gives a hint of that quiet voice so underrated today and ironically so needed in this time of fear and ignorance.”

Roger Ebert: ‘One of the most calming documentaries you’re likely to ever see’ ‘a thoroughly meditative piece of cinema’ / ‘endless poetry’ ‘a unique documentary spectacle, [which] explores the power of silence and clarity’

 

Officially, all promotion of movies was prohibited. But once the security staff realized that the monastics were “real monks” they were allowed to just sit there, breathing mindfully in silence for half an hour as people rushed by.
The walking and sitting meditations were live streamed on Facebook.
In fact, one of the film-makers, Max Pugh is the brother of Plum Village monk, Br. Phap Linh.
The energy of Thich Nhat Hanh was present in the footsteps of his disciples.
All the diverse strands of the Plum Village community – including Wake Up, Order of Interbeing members and local sangha, as well as family – shared the joy at the festival.

 

For more information about the Walk With Me film, and to find out when a screening is coming to a cinema near in the Fall, please visit the Walk With Me Facebook page.


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What is Mindfulness

Thich Nhat Hanh January 15, 2020

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