Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1993 epic Little Buddha explored reincarnation through a unique cross-cultural lens.
In short: When Tibetan monks identify a Seattle boy as the rebirth of a high lama, an ambitious cinematic journey begins. Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, the film blends the historical story of Prince Siddhartha with a modern search for enlightenment, featuring striking cinematography and a score by composer Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Released in 1993, Little Buddha was an international co-production between Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. The narrative follows Lama Norbu and his fellow monks from Bhutan’s Rinpung Dzong as they search for the reincarnation of their teacher, Lama Dorje. They eventually identify three candidates: an American boy named Jesse Conrad, and two children in Nepal, Raju and Gita. The film interweaves this contemporary search with the ancient life of Prince Siddhartha, who abandons his protected life to confront universal suffering and eventually attains enlightenment as the Buddha.
Bertolucci sought authenticity by casting three actual Tibetan incarnate lamas—Khyongla Rato Rinpoche, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, and Sogyal Rinpoche—in key roles. To capture the distinct visual styles of the two timelines, cinematographer Vittorio Storaro utilized 65 mm Todd-AO for the Buddha flashback sequences, while the remainder of the film was shot in 35 mm anamorphic Technovision. The production was largely filmed on location in Kathmandu, Nepal, and Bhutan, reflecting an ambitious attempt to translate Buddhist themes into a Western cinematic epic.
The film’s reception was mixed. While some critics praised its visual ambition and earnestness, others found the storytelling simplistic. It grossed $48 million worldwide against a $30 million budget. Despite the varied critical response, the film remains a notable experiment in blending high-art sensibilities with spiritual themes, marked by a score from Ryuichi Sakamoto and a memorable post-credits scene featuring the destruction of a sand mandala.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Little Buddha
- Also: Wikidata — Little Buddha · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Little Buddha · CC0
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