Sunisa has curated a series of Tibetan Buddhist documentaries to deepen our collective understanding of the rich tradition we are part of. Drawing from across the Tibetan Buddhist schools — not only our own Nyingma lineage — these films offer a window into the living heart of the dharma. We hope they will also be joyful occasions to be together as a community over the summer months.
Popcorn will be provided. Those who wish are warmly invited to stay afterward for an informal conversation about the film. Please feel free to bring your favorite snacks and beverages, as well as blankets, pillows, or whatever makes the evening cozy and comfortable for you.
Popcorn
✳︎
Dharma Movie
✳︎
Conversation
✳︎
Good Company
*
Popcorn ✳︎ Dharma Movie ✳︎ Conversation ✳︎ Good Company *
We are delighted to share the full lineup for this summer's Dharma Drive-Ins!
Taking its title from an ancient prophecy attributed to Guru Padmasambhava. "When the Iron Bird flies and horses run on wheels, the Tibetan people will be scattered like ants across the face of the earth." This film traces the journey of Tibetan Buddhism from the mountain hermitages of Tibet to the mainstream of Western culture.
When the Iron Bird Flies
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Leslie Ngyuen Temple is the master artist who made Heart Sangha’s Yeshe Tsogyal and Machig Lapdron thangkas. This documentary tells the story of the years Leslie and her husband Terris Temple spent living in Tibet, reconstructing huge thangkas in collaboration with Tibetan seamstresses to bring a sacred piece of history back to life.
Tsurphu: The Giant Appliqués
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
This documentary is an intimate portrait of Garchen Rinpoche, offering a window into the world of Tibetan Buddhism through his life story. Rinpoche spent twenty years in labor camps where he met Khenpo Munsel, a Dzogchen master in Heart Sangha’s lineage. Gar Rinpoche eventually journeyed to his center in Arizona, emerging with a heart awakened to boundless love and compassion, which he has shared with students around the world ever since.
Journey to Golok
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Our series culminates with a documentary following four of Anam Thubten's students on a pilgrimage to Golok region of Eastern Tibet, the home of Anam Thubten and the origination of Heart Sangha’s Dudjom Lineage. The pilgrims visit Dröpuk cave, where Dudjom Lingpa composed the Trömo Chod sadhana. They practice at Takyak Hermitage at 13,000 feet, where the hermit Anam Chatralwa lived in lifelong retreat. The video shares everyday details, like meals and translation mishaps, giving a felt sense to traveling with the pilgrims step by step.
For the Benefit of All Beings
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
2025