Phörpa (1999)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Khyentse Norbu

Writer:

Khyentse Norbu (written by)

Release Date:

28 October 1999 (Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Sport

Tagline:

Buddhism is their philosophy. Soccer is their religion.

Plot:

While the soccer World Cup is being played in France, two young Tibetan refugees arrive at a monastery/boarding school in exile in India...

Plot Keywords:

Soccer | Monastery | Lama | Television | World Cup

Awards:

5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Orgyen Tobgyal	...	Geko
Neten Chokling	...	Lodo
Jamyang Lodro	...	Orgyen
Lama Chonjor	...	Abbot
Lama Godhi	...	Old Lama
Thinley Nudi	...	Tibetan Layman
Kunsang	...	Cook Monk
Kunsang Nyima	...	Palden
Pema Tshundup	...	Nyima
Dzigar Kongtrul	...	Vajra Master
Dhan Pat Singh	...	TV Shop Owner
Oga	...	Abbot's Attendant
Raj Baboon	...	Taxi Driver
Jamyang Nyima	...	The hypersomniaque
Pema Wamgchen	...	Storytelling Monk

Also Known As:

The Cup (Europe: English title) (USA)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

Bhutan | Australia

Language:

Hindi | Tibetan

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:U | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:K-7 | France:U | Germany:o.Al. (w) | Hong Kong:I | New Zealand:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:G | Singapore:PG

Company:

Coffee Stain Productions

Trivia:

The soccer games featured in the movie is from the World Cup 1998 in France. The first game is the quarterfinal between France and Italy (France won on penalties), and the second is the final in Paris where France beat Brazil 3-0.

Quotes:

Abbot: Can we cover the earth in leather so it's soft wherever we go?
Cook Monk: No.
Abbot: So what can we do?
Lodo: Wear leather sandals?
Abbot: Yes, wearing leather sandals is equal to covering the earth with leather.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

Caught in the Night

Simply amazing

A quasi-documentary look at the daily lives of a bunch of Buddhist monks living in exile, in India. A thin plot line has some of the younger monks, soccer fans all, contriving to watch the 1998 World Cup by collecting enough money to rent a TV and satellite dish for the evening of the contest. A more interesting plot element has two young men spirited out of China and taken in by the monastery to become monks in training. We get to watch the daily lives of these monks, all or most of whom are evidently the real thing and not actors. The movie is absolutely fascinating as it shows Buddhist monks are no different than you and I in their wants and desires. The movie has a light, almost whimsical touch, but is not without its serious moments. By the end, we and the monks have learned an important lesson or two, without being hammered over the head with it. The storyline is punctuated by some breathtaking photography of the land in which these exiles are living.