American Rimpoche

American Rimpoche is the biography of Gelek Rimpoche, a former Tibetan monk now citizen of the United States. Born in this legendary Shangri-la, he has lived an extraordinary life spanning continents, customs and cultures. The film interweaves conversations with him, his students, and key players in America's adoption of Tibetan Buddhism. Framed by archival photos of old Tibet taken by Rimpoche's father in the 1930's and 40's, the film traverses the link between one man's job as a modern spiritual leader and the impact of Tibet's myths and practices on Americans seeking direction in an increasingly complex world.