![[upper right side of an asian man in gold and red ornately patterned shiny robe and bright red conical fabric hat with straps below his chin, gazes downward towards lifted right hand holding two metal objects held up near his face, against a leafy green background with the head of a man in the same hat blocked by a maroon and gold patterned bowl with blue rim, at camera right]](https://buddhistfilmfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/the-dalai-lamas-gift-slider-490x280-1.jpg "The Dalai Lama's Gift")
![[close up of the head of a woman with light colored long wet hair, floating in a lake with greenery at water’s edge]](https://buddhistfilmfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/outrider-slider-490x280-1.jpg "Outrider")
![[older man with salt and pepper hair, moustache, and beard, wearing thin, circular, wire framed glasses, small gold hoop earrings in his left ear, and a dark gray shirt with light red patterns, smiles to camera, with a lush green background]](https://buddhistfilmfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/o-mother-gaia-slider-490x280-1.jpg "O Mother Gaia")
IBFF Official Selection Screening:
The Dalai Lama’s Gift
The Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday year has seen several new films featuring him, and our next Official Selection Screening will be The Dalai Lama’s Gift, with Tibetan Buddhism scholar Roger Jackson joining Director Ed Bastian at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, CA.The film documents the first Kalachakra initiation held outside of Asia, a 1981 event that took place in rural Wisconsin. more>
IN MEMORIAM
Dr. Robert Tenzin Thurman, PhD, a leading Tibetan Buddhism scholar, teacher, and author, died on June 16, 2026 at his home in Woodstock, NY. He was 84. A long time friend and Advisory Council member of Buddhist Film Foundation (BFF), he participated in several International Buddhist Film Festival programs over the years.
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OTHER FESTIVALS
![[black san-serif stacked text that reads lion's roar presents buddhafest (in red and light blue bold caps) films, talks, meditation, music]](https://buddhistfilmfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/buddhafest-2025-235x110-1.jpg)
This year’s Lion’s Roar Presents BuddhaFest online festival embraces the theme of The Unshakable Heart: Buddhist Wisdom for Finding Peace in Troubled Times, and features ten films selected by our Buddhist Film Channel that relate to engaged Buddhism. BuddhaFest runs July 13–August 23 and includes thirteen talks by leading teachers. more>
NOW STREAMING
![[bald headed smiling elderly man in bright red sleeveless shirt gestures with right hand while holding an open blue, yellow, and red paneled umbrella on his left shoulder, against a background of cement walkway and red flowered green bush]](https://buddhistfilmfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/in-theaters-return-to-ghandi-road.jpg)
IBFF 2020 Official Selection Return to Gandhi Road by New Zealand director Yeshe Hegan, is now available to stream in the U.S. The U.S. premiere was delayed by the pandemic and took place at IBFF 2021. more>
