The Geshema is Born | Award-winning Film | Malati Rao

Directed by Malati Rao, the film traces the journey of Tibetan Buddhist nuns, who have, for centuries, sought the audacious idea of equality within their ancient faith. Empowered by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, they now receive the highest monastic degree – the Geshe Ma or PhD degree. The film celebrates and documents this powerful journey. Commissioned by the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the film won the Best Documentary Award at the Indic Global Film Festival; received the Silver Award at the International Screen Awards, Jakarta, Indonesia; was Closing Night Film at the Internationales Festival Zeichen der Nacht (Signs of the Night) – Berlin, Germany; and bagged the award for the Best Woman Director at the Bangkok International Documentary Awards. Additionally, the film started streaming with Japanese subtitles from September 2022, with the support of Asian Documentaries Corporation. It also featured in the Wisdom Quarterly American Buddhist Journal and was selected for the monthly Film Club of Tricycle magazine. Malati Rao is a documentary filmmaker and Producer/Director at Barracuda Films, Mumbai. To learn more about our Foundation’s work, visit our website or write to us at info@. You can also find us on social media platforms: Instagram: Facebook: Twitter: