UnionDocs

As an extension of the Fair Use Without Fear! workshop, the discussion will include the use of archival material and music rights in this documentary.

The Buddha never claimed to be God, or his emissary on earth. He was a human being who, in a world of unavoidable pain and suffering, found serenity which he said others could find too. Why do human beings suffer? What constitutes ethical behavior? How is it possible to find peace and serenity? These were questions which the Buddha asked, and which the film explores by giving an account of his spiritual journey.

This documentary for PBS by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin and narrated by Richard Gere, tells the story of the Buddha’s life, a journey especially relevant to our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion. It features the work of some of the world’s greatest artists and sculptors, who across two millennia, have depicted the Buddha’s life in art rich in beauty and complexity. Hear insights into the ancient narrative by contemporary Buddhists, including Pulitzer Prize winning poet W.S. Merwin and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Join the conversation and learn more about meditation, the history of Buddhism, and how to incorporate the Buddha’s teachings on compassion and mindfulness into daily life.

David Grubin is a director, writer, producer, and cinematographer who has produced over 100 films, ranging from history to art, from poetry to science, winning every award in the field of documentary television, including 2 Alfred I. Dupont awards, 3 George Foster Peabody prizes, 5 Writer’s Guild prizes, and 10 Emmys.

His biographies for American Experience on PBS – LBJ, FDR, Truman, TR: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided – have set the standard for television biography. His five-part series for PBS – ”Healing And The Mind with Bill Moyers” – has won many awards, and the companion book, for which he was executive editor, rose to number one on The New York Times Best Sellers list, remaining on the list for 32 weeks. His independent feature film, Downtown Express, was recently selected for the Woodstock Film Festival, FilmColumbia, and opening night at the Cinema Arts Festival in Houston. He teaches documentary filmmaking at Columbia University.