GRAND PRIX COMPETITION

BUDDHA’S LOST CHILDREN

Netherlands/France/Thailand, 2006, 97 min., Thai

Director: Mark Verkerk
Producer: Ton Okkerse, Pim van Collem
Script: Mark Verkerk
Cinematography: Rene Heijnen
Editing: Helen Delachaux, Jos Driessen, Mark Verkerk
Music: Somtow Sucharitkul, Bernard Joosten, Ward Henselmans
Sound: Martin Giesmann
Production company: EMS Films
Print Source:
EMS Films
Amperestraat 10
1221GJ Hilversum
The Netherlands
Tel.:+31 35 6471750
Fax: +31 35 6237132
e-mail: ton.okkerse@emsfilms.com
www.buddhaslostchildren.com

Buddha's Lost Children

This award winning documentary (2006 AFI Grand Jury Award for International Documentary) tells the story of Phra Kruh Bah, who in 1991 gave up a career as a prize-winning Thai Boxer to become a Buddhist monk in Thailand’s Golden Triangle, a region renowned for drug smuggling and gang violence. Since his conversion, he has dedicated his life to the impoverished children of the region, traveling between the area villages and recruiting novice monks to his monastery, The Golden Horse Temple. Once there, young boys are exposed to a program of kick-boxing, religious practices and horse rearing designed to teach them empathy on their path to enlightenment. But the real gem of the program is Kruh Bah himself, who with his humor, patience and perseverance inspires and challenges each novice monk individually. With gorgeous cinematography that captures a lush, sweeping landscape, this touching and miraculous story will delight and inspire audiences of all ages.

Mark Verkerk was born in the Netherlands in 1956. He graduated from the London International Film School, and in 1980 joined ABC as a film editor. Mark is currently Creative Director of EMS Films based in Hilversum, the Netherlands, a company he joined in 1990. He also ran the Arafura Productions Pty. Ltd., a company specialized in producing low-cost videos highlighting environmental issues. With EMS Films he directed and produced a number of documentaries focused on environmental, social and geo-political issues.

Filmography:

Buddha’s Lost Children (2006), feature-length documentary debut, AFI Los Angeles Grand Jury Prize for Documentary and Silver Dove at Doc Leipzig;
Bridging Two Words (2005);
The Heat Is On (2004);
Quest for Ancient Egypt (2001), miniseries;
Castles of War (2001);
Castles of Fear (2000);
Heritage of Mankind (1995), miniseries;
Great Palaces of the World (1992);
Awaking Giant (1991).

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