Buddha's Lost Children

A temperamental monk and previous professional kick boxer is bringing up orphaned boys in the mountains of northern Thailand. He has done this for fifteen years. Abbot Phra Khru Bah – The Tiger Monk among friends – employs untraditional pedagogic methods, and can appear strict and brutal, demanding a lot of the kids. But he is highly respected in the nearby villages and every year he is celebrated with a great festival. The documentary shows us numerous marvellous characters and intimate moments, against a backdrop of a strikingly beautiful and fertile nature. There is a lot of humour but also a challenging ambiguity, not least in the dark undercurrents of Khru Bah’s character. ib