From the World Cup to the mythical mountain kingdom of Bhutan, Words of My Perfect Teacher follows three students on a quest they hope will lead to wisdom. The catch is … the teacher. Soccer obsessed, charismatic filmmaker, and citizen of the world: Khyentse Norbu may be one of the world’s most eminent Buddhist teachers, but it’s a job description he slyly rejects at every turn.
Featuring appearances by Bernardo Bertolucci and Steven Seagal. Filmed in the UK, Bhutan, Canada, the US, and in Germany at the World Cup. Set to a world beat with music by Sting, Tara Slone & Joy Drop, Steve Tibbets, U.Man.Tek, Kunga 19, and others. Words of My Perfect Teacher is for those who wish they’d met Yoda or Merlin, and long for the opportunity to engage with a teacher who defies convention.
Words of My Perfect Teacher was made during the course of a year that included attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, months of tension as India and Pakistan went to the brink of nuclear war, multiple suicide bombings in Israel, a stock market drop that plunged the world to new depths of economic uncertainty, and the US war on Iraq.
If ever there was a time to inspire students to "wake up" and learn the wisdom necessary to engage in compassionate activity, this was that year. The film’s point of view is inspired by Buddhist philosophy — which says that we can’t really change human behaviour until we learn to deal with our mind. Because the mind is the starting point of all suffering, closed hearts, entrenched views and prejudice. And to study the mind, you need a teacher.
Editor: Peter Giffen
Music: various artists
Business Manager: Angela De Nicola
Producers: Lesley Ann Patten (ZIJI Film and Television) and Kent Martin (National Film Board of Canada)
Running time: 103 minutes
Format: 35mm
Available at www.ziji.ca