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Shawn Ku, Christy Chung, Neelesha Ba Vora, Lhakpa Tsering, Tenzin Tashi ... see more see more... , Jamayang Jinpa , Sherab Sangey , Kelsang Tashi and Tenzin Tashi , Tsepak Tsangpo , Neelesha BaVora , Aimei Tang , Di Liu , Fuli Jin , Lei Han , Hongshen Jia , Jingmin Luo , Lijun Liu , Xiaoyan Tan , Xueqi Wang

Indian born filmmaker Pan Nalin makes his directorial debut with this sensual, elegant look at sex and spirituality. Tashi (Shawn Ku) is a gifted young monk who is just completing three years of solit... read more read more...ary mediation in the mountains. Sporting long hair and a scraggly beard, Tashi is roused out of his deep mediation and brought back to his monastery by his fellow monks. There he rests up to recover his strength, returning to the usual rigors of monastic life. Though he is highly revered for having attained a profound level of enlightenment, Tashi is surprised to discover the sudden awakening of his own sex drive. While blessing the annual crop, he encounters beautiful peasant girl Pema (Christy Chung) and immediately he falls in love. Arguing that to properly renounce the world he would have to experience it first, he leaves his order and eventually marries Pema. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Flixster Users

85% liked it

6,199 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

5 critics

R, 2 hr. 18 min.

Directed by: Pan Nalin, Jianxin Huang

Release Date: January 1, 2002

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DVD Release Date: July 7, 2009

Stats: 204 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (204)


  • fb223580
    May 8, 2012
    fb223580
    Omg this movie. Saw it freshman year for our "Structured Liberal Education" Buddhism module and there is only one scene everybody remembers from it.
  • October 11, 2007
    What is more important: satisfying a thousand desires or conquering just one? A very compelling movie that has many morals. One of the most powerful is a stranger teaching others to stand up for themselves and not following tradition for tradition's sake alone. Unfortunately he e... read morends up making the same mistake, or does he?

Critic Reviews


Peter Howell
August 13, 2004
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

A beautifully rendered gem. Full Review

Jennie Punter
August 13, 2004
Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail

A singularly engaging spiritual love story. Full Review

David Hunter
November 14, 2002
David Hunter, Hollywood Reporter

Nalin's film has excellent production values and thoroughly transports one to its far-flung world of clear skies, jagged mountains and passionate affairs of the mind and body.

Liz Braun
August 13, 2004
Liz Braun, Jam! Movies

This study of desire and destiny is visually [beautiful]. Full Review

Urban Cinefile Critics
November 2, 2002
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile

Possibly as close to Shangri-La as we will ever get, Samsara is a haunting, cinematic and spiritual love story to savour. Full Review

Derek Adams
June 24, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

Mark Freeman
November 29, 2002
Mark Freeman, Critical Eye

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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  • "A spiritual love-story set in the majestic landscape of Ladakh, Himalayas", describes which 2001 movie?  Answer »

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