The Cup

Synopsis

It’s 1998 and two young football mad monks, Orgyen and Nyima, are living in a remote Himalayan monastery, desperately trying to find a television so that they can watch the World Cup Final from Paris. Their elders are rather bemused at their obsession, and also concerned about the excessive intrusion of the outside world into their sacred contemplative space. Directed by a former Buddhist monk, this is a warm, very funny and insightful film, with fantastic performances from its young (amateur) leads and packed with universal themes of tradition vs modernity and the value of human endeavour. The film is also not afraid to confront political realities, not least why it is that Orgyen and Nyima don’t have a national team of their own to cheer on.