Khyentse Norbu

Brilliant Moon chronicles the life of the writer, poet, and meditation master Khyentse Rinpoche, one of Tibet's most revered 20th-century Buddhist teachers. Spiritual guide to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Royal Family of Bhutan, his life and teachings were an inspiration to all who encountered him. Richard Gere and Lou Reed provide the narration for his dangerous journey out of China, the subsequent spread of his influence and the search for his reincarnation after his death.

Three students seek the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhist master, soccer aficionado and filmmaker Khyentse Norbu in this captivating documentary, which takes viewers on a journey from the World Cup in Germany to the isolated Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan. Bernardo Bertolucci and Steven Seagal make appearances in the film, and the world music soundtrack is provided by Sting, Tara Slone and Joydrop, Steve Tibbetts, U.Man.Tek, Kunga 19 and many others.

A young lady comes to Lhasa alone for pilgrimage, but a "multicolored magical lobster" enshrined by other people has totally changed her plan. She made a decision to take the lobster home to the ocean, and this set her and the lobster on the journey cross half of China. During her journey, she comes cross many interesting characters and experiences. At the same time, memories, dreams, and hallucinations emerged intermittently. The journey to set the lobster free came to an end in an unexpected way. She finally reached the most secret place in her heart.

In this documentary we see Khyentse Norbu (director of The Cup, 1999) in Nepal during the filming for his latest film Looking for a Lady with Fangs and a Moustache, where he effortlessly switches between working with the hip film crew and performing ancient Buddhist rituals.

The film details the personal experiences of five young Western men who were identified in childhood as being tulkus, or reincarnated Tibetan Buddhist masters.