When the Iron Bird Flies

Fleet Maull
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Tsoknyi Rinpoche
Anam Thubten
Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche
Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche
Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel
Matthieu Ricard
E. Gene Smith
Lama Tsultrim Allione
Richard Gere
Dr. Richard Davidson
Dr. Reginald Ray
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

Directed by Victress Hitchcock

In 1959, the Chinese invasion of Tibet threw opened the doors to the mysterious realm of Tibetan Buddhism and suddenly this rich, ancient tradition was propelled into the modern world. Half a century later, Padmasambhava's prophecy has come true and the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism are found in every corner of the earth.

 Now, the key question is - “In these increasingly challenging times, can these profound teachings help us find genuine happiness and create a saner, more compassionate 21st century world?”

 When the Iron Bird Flies takes on the daring task of understanding the many ways that these ancient teachings are meeting modern Western minds and hearts. The film is breathtaking in its historical scope and provocative in its exploration of the groundbreaking meeting of East and West that is at the heart of this new Buddhism.

 Through candid interviews with contemporary teachers and practitioners, rare archival footage, and striking images of modern life that illuminate and make accessible the Buddha's core teachings, the film creates a vivid and entertaining portrait of the world of Tibetan Buddhism in the West.