My name is Filipa Cardoso. Two years ago in Brussels, I had the opportunity to witness a unique encounter between the ensemble Octurn and the chanting tibetan monks of the Gyuto monastery. I've been deeply touched by this encounter, at once by its musical, artistic and human dimension. I witnessed their exchange, their rehearsals, and I filmed a few concerts...

Concert

This project is going to have a quite amazing spin-off: having accepted the tibetan monks' invitation, the band Octurn is going to record its next CD at the very Gyuto monastery! I’d like to go there with them to make a documentary on this nonstandard transcultural creation. I'm calling on you to help me finance this project.

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The film will report the whole process of creation, from the very first rehearsals till the final concert in the big temple, among the 600 resident monks of the monastery. I'd also like to probe the different types of chanting, the origins of the divine sounds, the systems of music notation, the role of the instruments and the playing techniques, the meaning of the gestures (mudras) and the costumes, as well as the essential principals of the tantric rituals and their sonic symbols.

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I will also shoot the everyday life in the monastery. Most of the resident monks in Gyuto fled from Tibet. Some of them will tell us about their risky crossing of the Himalayas to reach north India and the exiled tibetan community. Sitting next to the elders, the young monks will explain us what encouraged them to chose a cloistered life in Gyuto, where the basic course lasts 18 years...

Moinillons

The musical creation will take shape concurrently with the construction of a sand mandala, these two creations will be linked. For the monks, the mandala is the symbolic representation of a divine residence and supports the meditation. The mandala “speaks” throughout its architecture, its colors and its inhabitants, it witnesses a unique artistic tradition. Being visually very rich, its contemplation leaves a mark, an inspiration, a benediction. I will film the entire construction of the mandala, from the first outlines of the holy geometrical lines till the traditional dissolution ceremony: accompanied by the mantra sounds, the mandala will be “destroyed”, to signify the impermanence of all things, and the sand will then be scattered in nature. The ceremony will be concluded by the concert of the Octurn band's musicians together with the chanting monks in the big Gyuto temple. Thanks to your financial support to make this film, I'll be able to share this unique experience with you

Mandala

And for the more curious ones among you...

During their last stay in Belgium in 2012, the monks have constructed a sand mandala in 5 days at the Aura Gallery in Brussels. Here's a short documentary film that recalls this wonderful experience:

here are a few clips of the concerts:

here are some images from the first scoutings in Gyuto:

- all information about the band Octurn can be found here: www.octurn.com

- the Gyuto monastery's web site: http://www.gyuto.org

Kailash