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The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life & The Great Liberation

Name: The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life & The Great Liberation
Director: Barrie McLean, Hiroaki Mori, Yukari Hayashi
Released: 1994
Duration: 91 min

Representation Score

5.9/10

Fair

1994

Director

Barrie McLean, Hiroaki Mori, Yukari Hayashi

Runtime

91 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film stands out as a tool for promoting cultural and philosophical diversity. By highlighting Himalayan Buddhist traditions, it effectively counters Western-centric views and supports Eastern philosophical frameworks. Though the documentary lacks explicit identity-focused character arcs typical of scripted dramas, its strength lies in its international directorial approach. Collaboration between Western and Japanese directors indicates a shift away from a purely Western perspective. However, the film's score is slightly reduced due to a lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth narratives, and it does not provide specific character studies to explore gendered power dynamics.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life & The Great Liberation have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The documentary does not include explicit LGBTQ+ characters or stories. Instead, it focuses on theological and philosophical ideas rather than modern identity issues.

How does The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life & The Great Liberation portray gender?

Fair

The film explores a metaphysical reality where consciousness surpasses biological sex. However, it does not delve into specific character studies to examine gender power dynamics.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life & The Great Liberation?

Excellent

The film highlights high ethnic diversity by focusing on Himalayan Buddhist cultures. This approach challenges Anglo-Saxon dominance by prioritizing non-Western perspectives and indigenous knowledge.

How does The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life & The Great Liberation represent religion and culture?

Excellent

By centering a non-Western religious text, the film critiques Western intellectual dominance. It presents Eastern traditions as sophisticated systems of thought rather than mere curiosities.

Does The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life & The Great Liberation include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no information available regarding the depiction of physical or neurodivergent disabilities within this documentary.

Present on Screen

Emphasis on non-Western perspectives and indigenous spiritual wisdom.
Disruption of Anglo-Saxon dominance in mainstream media.
Avoidance of a purely Western lens through cross-cultural directorial collaboration.
Promotion of sophisticated Eastern philosophical traditions over exoticized clichés.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth narratives.
Absence of specific character studies to explore gendered power dynamics.
No information available regarding the representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Narrated by Leonard Cohen, this two-part series explores ancient teachings on death and dying and boldly visualises the afterlife according to Tibetan philosophy. Tibetan Buddhists believe that after a person dies, they enter a state of "bardo" for 49 days until a rebirth. Program 1, The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Way of Life documents the history of The Tibetan Book of the Dead, tracing the book's acceptance and use in Europe and North America. Program 2, The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Liberation observes an old Buddhist lama and a 13-year-old novice monk as they guide a deceased person into the afterlife.

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