'Bhikkhunī', plus short film 'Yarne'

*Please read our important information about our Covid-19 safety precautions before visiting.*

This documentary film is about the revival of women’s ordination in Theravāda Buddhism. Malgorzata Dobrowolska has offered an important insight not only for Buddhist women, but for all women with this film.

Shortly after Enlightenment, the Buddha said: “I shall not come to my final passing away, until my bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples.” Even though the Buddha established the bhikkhunī order, the line of female ordination in the Theravāda tradition died out in the 11th century. Since then, it has been a common belief that nuns can no longer be ordained. This film presents the story of three women who, in order to implement the Buddha’s teachings, have become the first fully ordained Buddhist nuns in their countries’ modern history. Visit the film's website and the Facebook page.

Yarne: 

Best-friend child monks living in a Buddhist monastery begin receiving small donations for performing prayers, only to find their friendship tested over how to spend it. With a cast comprised of actual Buddhist monks, Yarne is a rare glimpse at the social fabric that exists in the dormitory life rather than the ceremonial shrine room of a monastery.  Director Krakower attempted to capture the child monks as nascent boys caught between an ancient tradition and the modern world influences of money-making, Coca-cola and smart phones.

The romanticized characterization of Buddhist monks, particularly child monks, as mystical Himalayan meditators simply did not represent Krakower’s experience of living in Kathmandu and working in a Buddhist monastery. He was inspired to attempt a more faithful depiction. The boys he knew were naughty, mischievous; they broke rules, hated school; they bully and fight. But unlike most people who struggle to live harmoniously under one roof with just a few people, these boys have to find a way to live peacefully with hundreds, which Krakower finds more impressive than years of solitary meditation in a Himalayan cave.

A message from our cinema director, Rebecca Marshall:
As we have been unable to operate at our previous full capacity since reopening, and with safety measures unlikely to be able to relax anytime this year, we are facing mounting building rental costs, film licensing costs and other overheads that were previously viable when we were open at full capacity.

Unless all our current season of films sell out, the cinema will be unable to continue into 2021 and will likely close in December this year.

With this in mind I make this plea to all to help sustain this much-loved community asset:

How you can help:

• Book a ticket to a screening, soon! And bring a friend.
• Become an official Friend of the Electric Palace
• Hire the cinema for a private party
• Buy a gift voucher
• Donate to the cinema
• Support us on social media by sharing our posts and events

Thank you.