International Buddhist Film Festival information

The International Buddhist Film Festival (IBFF) is a presenter of Buddhist-themed and Buddhist-inspired cinema. IBFF includes films of all kinds: dramas, documentaries, comedies, animation, experimental work, children's films, music videos, and television programs.

IBFF offers film as a way for general audiences to develop a wider appreciation and better understanding of Buddhist philosophy, traditions, arts, and practices (including mindfulness). Works to be exhibited are chosen through program committee invitations as well as through an international open call for entries (CFE) that allows independent filmmakers to submit their work for consideration. Films include English language or subtitled works from all over the world. Over twenty nations have been represented by films in IBFF events.

IBFF has presented various level premieres of works by Werner Herzog, Khyentse Norbu, Doris Dörrie, Jang Sun-woo, Lesley Ann Patton, Im Kwon Taek, Babeth VanLoo, Lee Chang-jae, Rebecca Dreyfus, David Grubin, Ken Burns, Pawo Choyning Dorji, Pema Tseden, Dechen Roder, Werner Penzel, and others.

IBFF has been presented by host institutions in cities on three continents: Los Angeles 2003, Washington, D.C. 2004, San Francisco 2005, Amsterdam 2006, Singapore 2007, Mexico City 2008, London 2009, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. 2010, Washington, D.C. (at BuddhaFest) 2011, London, Hong Kong, and Bangkok 2012, Vancouver, BC 2013, Washington, D.C. (at BuddaFest) 2014, San Francisco 2015, San Francisco 2016, San Francisco and Los Angeles (at BuddhaFest) 2017, San Francisco, Los Angeles (at BuddhaFest), and Washington, D.C. 2018, San Francisco and Los Angeles (at BuddhaFest) 2019, San Francisco 2021, and Barcelona (with FCBC) 2022. Two special festivals were organized by IBFF: the Benefit Nepal Film Festival (2015) and two editions of the Burma Spring Benefit Film Festival (2021/22).

Presenting partners for film festivals and other public programs have included Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC), Barbican Centre (London), Samaya Foundation (Mexico City), Buddhist Film Festival Europe (BFFE) Amsterdam (the Netherlands), UC Berkeley, Asia Buddhist Film Festival Pvt. Ltd. (Singapore), California Film Institute (SF), Fowler Museum (LA), Rubin Museum of Art (NY), Vancouver International Film Centre (BC), Asia Society (Hong Kong), and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (SF).

IBFF has also co-presented programs with other film festivals including Seattle International, San Francisco International, CAAMFest (SF), Asian American (NY), Human Rights Watch (NY/SF/London), I See Films (Milan), Indian Film Festival of LA, SF Latino, Mill Valley Film Festival (SF), San Francisco Silent, and Dharamshala International Film Festival (India).