Mercer Productions announces the filming of a documentary with the Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard

After spending 7 years away, Buddhist monk and photographer Ricard returns to Bhutan, a small hidden kingdom in the Himalayaswhere he has spent 10 years of his life.

The film invites us to discover this exceptional man and the country he holds most dear: thanks to his statusand his in-depth knowledge of Bhutanand its inhabitants, Matthieu Ricard is able to take us to places no-one else has access to. By his side, we get to see the most breathtaking of landscapes, and meet men, women and children experiencing ageless existences and traditions, as well as masters of wisdom. Since Matthieu Ricard’s last visit, the modern world’s battering ram has finally managed to butt through the armor of this self-sufficient realm, imposing its satellites and worldwide web. But despite this encroachment, Matthieu Ricard is still able to find the jewels that have always made this small kingdom a unique territory, away from the rest of the world.

In the late Sixties, Ricard was one of the first Westerners to convert to Buddhism. He has become internationally renowned for the simplicity with which he is able to heighten public awareness on the subjects of meditation, peace and altruism. A member of the Dalai-Lama’s inner circle, Ricard is also an excellent photographer, and he uses this art form to share his values and his wonder over the workings of the world and the human soul.

Ricard: ‘’I want to travel again – maybe for the last time - to Bhutan: this little kingdom is one of the most special realms I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. I’ve photographed this country so much over the years but it must have changed a lot since the last time I was here. This trip will be an opportunity for me to talk about the concerns the Bhutan people have regarding the threat of global warming to their precious environment. The Himalayan glaciers (known as the world’s “third pole”) are melting at an alarming rate when, paradoxically, this country is probably the least polluting nation in the world.

I see photography as an instrument, an art form, that allows me to achieve my vocation as a practicing Buddhist: to serve others. I hope this new trip and the documentary that goes with it will allow me to share my optimistic viewof the world’.

Auffret, the film’s co-writer and director: ‘We will be following in Matthieu Ricard’s footsteps and seeing things through his eyes as he takes us to the mythical places that have left an eternal impression on this unique cosmopolitan monk. From inaccessible monasteries to mountain nomads, and from rituals to wildlife and impassable cols, the photographer’s red robe is our door opener to this country’s innermost secrets. Through him, we also get to meet his monk and lama friends and the various colorful characters he has known for many years’.

Auffret’s films have won about fifty awards worldwide, including an International Emmy Award. They have been watched by over 90 million viewers throughout the world, aired by ARTE, France T.V., PBS, Buena-Vista & Disney, NatGeo and BBC, in particular.

Having explored many areas of life, including culture, anthropology, animals and science, his ‘editorial line’ is now devoted to the relationship between Man and the sacred.

Caroline Halley, the documentary’s fellow writer: ‘In her roleas a visual artist and photographer inspired by pureness and sobriety, Carolinehas spent the last 20 years exploring sacred places around the world, pictorially depicting the myths and legends they harbor’.

This documentary is produced by Mercer Productions, a Federation subsidiary production company created by Thorunn Anspach and Olivier Brémond in 2020. It specializes in French and international fiction and high-end documentaries.

International sales of the Bhutan: Following in the footsteps of Matthieu Ricard documentary will be handled by Federation.