Buddhism is their philosophy. Soccer is their religion.

Another weekend being sick for me is another weekend to catch up on some movies. I was lucky to catch a film called The Cup on one of the Sundance channels. It's about a group of monks obsessed with the World Cup soccer final.

The film, also known as Phörpa, brings a powerful look into the day to day lives of young, energetic monks, and demonstrates the challenges a spiritual leader faces in a modern world. The main character, Orgyen, leads the soccer enthusiasm as he rallies the monks to chip in and rent a TV for the late night live broadcast.

It is a beautiful, semi-autobiographical tale from director Khyentse Norbu.

Shot in a Tibetan refugee colony in the Himalayan foothills of northern India, The Cup was made with a cast and crew of mostly monks and novices. The average scene required only three takes, which Khyentse Norbu attributed to their powers of meditation.

While digging for more info on the director, I came across this tidbit - Khyentse Norbu is also known as His Eminence Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, the reincarnation of a 19th century Tibetan saint and one of Himalayan Buddhism's most revered lamas. Besides being one of the most important incarnate lamas in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, he is a member of one of Bhutan’s most noble families. Born in a remote area of eastern Bhutan in the Year of the Metal Ox (1961), he is the son of contemporary Buddhist master Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, and grandson of both tantric yogi Lama Sonam Zangpo and H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche.

Khyentse Norbu consulted mo, an ancient divination system involving dice and beads, to make decisions about casting and shooting schedules. 

He was also careful to assure his Tibetan actors that they wouldn't suffer karmic retribution if the script called for them to rough up a monk for making too much noise during France vs. Brazil.