KCC Movie Night: The Dalai Lama’s Gift

Join us for a special screening of The Dalai Lama’s Gift, a powerful visual account of a magical moment in the history of Buddhism in America.

We’re thrilled to announce that director Ed Bastian will be sharing the finished cut of his film with us. He’ll kick things off with a personal welcome, and after the screening, he’ll join us live via Zoom for an interactive Q&A session. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to engage directly with the filmmaker behind the lens.

This event is open to all, and we warmly welcome your presence. If you feel moved to support the offering, we invite you to give Dana—a heartfelt gesture of appreciation. A suggested contribution of $5 helps sustain events like this.

The documentary explores the story of the Kalachakra initiation given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Wisconsin in the 1980s, a sacred tantric ritual never before performed outside of India or Tibet. What preceded was a remarkable journey: the building of a temple, the overcoming of local resistance,
and the blossoming of spiritual community.

Originally filmed during the event, the footage was stored in the Smithsonian vaults for over 40 years. Now restored and reassembled, it offers a cinematic meditation on faith, resilience, and cultural transformation.

Let’s gather, learn, and reflect together. We look forward to seeing you there!

For more about the movie, visit the website here.

To attend from home: Use the Zoom button that appears below 15 minutes prior to the session (at 6:45pm). If the button is not appearing, first try refreshing your webpage. If it is still not appearing, please email  for assistance.