The Beautiful Country

A film by Hans Petter Moland

Bui doi – "less than dust" – is a slur aimed at Vietnamese children with American fathers. The Beautiful Country, set in 1990, relates the odyssey of a young "bui doi" with one impossible dream, to be reunited with his birth father, an American GI who disappeared one day without trace.

Binh is a young man of unusual height and facial features marking him for contempt. He  lives in a village with his foster family who barely tolerate his presence. When his foster mother begrudingly reveals that his birth mother is alive and living in Saigon, Binh packs up his few possessions and journeys to the city. His one link to family life, and clue to his mother's whereabouts, is a photo of a smiling American and pretty young Vietnamese woman holding a baby, standing before a distinctive shop front. Asking around, showing his photo, stoically accepting of rude rebuffs but persevering, Binh finally locates a young boy, Tam, who has heard tell of a very tall big brother.

After an emotional reunion with his mother, who helps him escape Vietnam, he endures a Malaysian refugee camp, survives a brutal ocean crossing in a freighter, and indentured servitude with a human-trafficking ring. Throughout his long journey Binh confronts unimaginable hardships yet manages to keep hope, humanity and a generous spirit alive as he searches for a connection with his long-lost father. His quest eventually leads him to a remote Texas ranch and a redemptive reunion, the key to finally unlocking the mysteries of his past.

A sensitive, unpretentious and deeply moving story about the human soul's ability to sustain life through hope.

The Road Home

A film by Zhang Yimou

For the first time in many years businessman Luo Yusheng drives to Sanhetun, the village in northern China where he was born. The district mayor having called him to tell him that his father died suddenly, Yusheng is rushing back to be with his mother. He finds her grief-stricken, keeping a sad vigil outside the decrepit village schoolhouse. But she is adamant that her husband's funeral will follow age-old local customs, even if they are rarely observed nowadays. She will personally weave the funeral cloth on the village loom, and local men must carry the coffin from the hospital back to the village.

The mayor hopes that Yusheng will persuade his mother to be more 'reasonable' – such as to allow the coffin to be driven rather than carried. He fears that even if he could find men willing to carry the coffin many miles through the winter snows, there would not be enough of them. Most of the young men of Sanhetun, like Yusheng himself, have left the village to work in faraway cities.

As he watches his mother weave the funeral cloth, Yusheng reflects on what he's heard of his parents' courtship. Everyone in the village knew the story at that time. In a flashback, their remarkable story of love and loyalty is told.

Kekexili Mountain Patrol

A film by Lu Chuan

Under the heavenly blue sky of Kekexili, the isolated north-western region of the Tibetan Plateau, lies a wilderness of unimaginable beauty. But it is also a battleground between conscience and greed as members of the Mountain Patrol, a group of vigilantes who, despite poverty and the lack of any government support, roam the land to protect the endangered Tibetan antelope from extinction by illegal poaching.

When Ga Yu, a journalist from Beijing, arrives at the mystical camp of the Kekexili Mountain Patrol, he witnesses Tibetan funeral rites and a village in mourning. Ga Yu is determined to uncover the real story behind the mysterious disappearance of patrol volunteers, the cruel slaughtering of Tibetan antelopes, and the rumour that the Mountain Patrol, led by Ri Tai, co-operates with the illegal hunters.

As the patrol, outnumbered and outgunned, persevere against all odds, the harsh landscape preys on friend and foe alike, blurring traditional distinctions between good and evil. A powerful and uncompromising film based on a true story.

Les amants du Pont-Neuf

A film by Leos Carax

A love story of two young homeless people surviving on the street by their wits alone. Alex is a disturbed depressive with an alcohol and drug addiction; Michèle is an artist who is gradually losing her sight, having run away from her family and a failed relationship – two people living on the edge of human existence.

They meet and live on the Pont-Neuf in central Paris which has been closed for extensive renovation. Alex gradually becomes obsessed with Michèle. First by protecting her and then virtually imprisoning her from both her past and her future, he assumes a control of her life in order that she remains completely dependent upon him. In doing so, he transfers his own 'dependency' upon her, going to any lengths in his desperation to both support her and prevent her from leaving him. A tale of obsession and possession, set against a background of visually stunning scenes of Paris.

The clip of Fayrouz heard during the fireworks scene on the bridge is from her album Jisr el Qamar/Bridge of the Moon and the song is entitled Jaybeli Salam – www.fairouz.com.

The cello music played in the métro by Julien in this film is from Sonata for Solo Cello, Op. 8 by Zoltán Kodály, performed by Chrichan Larsson. I've not been able to trace a recording of this performance but a similar reading, performed by Maria Kliegel is available on Naxos 8.553160 – www.naxosdirect.com.

Vajra Sky Over Tibet

The Yatra Trilogy of John Bush

Vajra is the Sanskrit word signifying the thunderbolt of illumination, and yatra is the word for pilgrimage or spiritual journey. This enthralling third documentary offers a cinematic pilgrimage to central Tibet, bearing witness to the indomitable faith of its Buddhist community.

Travelling through breathtaking Himalayan terrain, Vajra Sky Over Tibet visits extraordinary temples, monasteries and festivals. The power of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism resonates in all of its sacred shrines and echoes within the bustling Jokhang Temple and the Potala Palace.

A full length documentary of pilgrimage to Central Tibet, bearing witness to its enduring faith and cultural traditions.

Prajna Earth

The Yatra Trilogy of John Bush

Prajna is the Sanskrit word for radiant wisdom, and yatra is the word for pilgrimage or spiritual journey. This visually stunning second documentary is a cinematic pilgrimage exploring the lost civilisation of Angkor in Cambodia, including the largest temple in the world – the magnificent Angkor Wat.

The journey continues to sacred sites of the natural world, travelling through Hindu Bali, witnessing trance dancers in the jungles of Java, and discovering the gigantic seven level mandala wonder of Buddhist Borobudur.

Prajna Earth visits spiritual intersections where Buddhist and Hindu wisdom traditions merged with the animist worship of nature, revealing a profound understanding of sacred nature existing both in the environment and within all living beings.

Dharma River

The Yatra Trilogy of John Bush

Yatra is the Sanskrit word for pilgrimage or spiritual journey. As the first documentary in the Yatra Trilogy, Dharma River is a timeless journey through legendary rivers to the greatest Buddhist temples and mystical sites of Laos, Thailand and Burma. It offers a direct experience of lost civilisations, sacred spaces, and ancient traditions.

The Buddha image reverberates continually through Dharma River and in dozens of temples, caves and shrines, yet it is never the same. The film's narration explores the different cultural representations of this universal icon of inner peace and its contemporary relevance.

John Bush is a filmmaker and photographer who has lived and travelled in Asia for more than three decades, sharing its sacred sites, culture and images in his work. His films and images are in museums and private collections around the world.

Un coeur en hiver

A film by Claude Sautet

Stéphane and Maxime run a renowned violin making and repair business. One day Maxime introduces his partner to Camille, the beautiful violin virtuoso he has been seeing. Camille is attracted to the enigmatic, introverted Stéphane who it seems may share her feelings but is incapable of expressing emotion. At first puzzled by his lack of response, Camille becomes convinced that she can find love beyond Stéphane's cold exterior. Her attraction then turns to obsession, eventually culminating in a shattering climax.

An award-winning classic of modern French cinema, Un cœur en hiver explores the passion and conflict within a dangerous love triangle.

Samsara

A film by Pan Nalin

What is more important, satisfying one thousand desires or conquering just one? A spiritual quest and love-story set in the majestic landscape of Ladakh – one man's struggle to find spiritual enlightenment by renouncing the world.

After completing three years of solitary meditation Tashi returns to his monastery to continue his studies. Despite his devotion to spiritual development Tashi unexpectedly finds himself experiencing a profound sexual awakening which will force him to make a choice between his monastic vocation and a life in Samsara. Choosing the latter – since in order to renounce the world, one must first experience it – he marries Pema, a beautiful young girl he met at a harvest blessing, so beginning a new life full of unexpected joys and wonders. But just as Pema surprises him with the depth of her own spirituality, Tashi encounters challenges and sorrows for which he is unprepared. With each of his desires comes also a suffering he is unable to bear.

Enigma

A film by Michael Apted

In March 1943 the cryptanalysts at Bletchley Park, Britain's top secret intelligence station, are facing their worst nightmare. Nazi U-boats have unexpectedly changed their Enigma cipher by which they communicate with each other and German High Command. An Allied merchant shipping convoy crossing the Atlantic with 10,000 passengers and vital supplies is in danger of attack. The authorities turn for help to Tom Jericho, a brilliant young mathematician and code-breaker.

Unknown to his colleagues, Jericho has another equally baffling enigma of his own to unravel. Claire, the woman with whom he has fallen in love, has disappeared from Bletchley just when the authorities suspect there may be a spy at the Park. To get to the bottom of both mysteries he enlists the help of Hester, Claire's best friend. Together they keep one step ahead of the secret services and investigate Claire's mysterious life, reaching a conclusion that uncovers international and personal betrayals.