Nicholas Vreeland, the son of a United States Ambassador
and grandson of legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland,
walked away from a worldly life of privilege to become
a Tibetan Buddhist monk in 1972. A photographer by
trade, Nicholas’ life changed dramatically after meeting
a Tibetan master who was one of the Dalai Lama’s
teachers. Soon thereafter, he gave up his glamorous
life to live in a monastery in India, where he studied
Buddhism for fourteen years. In an ironic twist of fate,
Nicholas went back to pursue photography to help
his fellow monks rebuild their monastery. Recently,
the Dalai Lama appointed Nicholas as Abbot of the
monastery, making him the first Westerner in Tibetan
Buddhist history to attain such a highly regarded
position. Monk with a Camera reflects on the impact
of Buddhism in American society, the future of
Tibetan communities, and the pursuit of art in a world
of impermanence.
Co-presented by Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.
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