Shambhala

In the heart of the Nepalese Himalayas, the spirited Pema enters into a polyandrous marriage with Tashi and his two younger brothers. They lead a harmonious life, but when Tashi fails to return from a trading journey to Lhasa, the legitimacy of Pema’s unborn child is called into question by the community. Determined to prove her love and purity, she sets out to find Tashi. Along the way, Pema becomes increasingly entangled in a spiritual quest for meaning. Each step she takes brings her closer to self-knowledge and self-liberation. Shambhala—named after a mythical spiritual kingdom in Tibetan Buddhism—is a visual feast. Goats, sheep, horses, and rugged, wandering yaks form a constant, living backdrop to this quiet, contemplative odyssey. In every respect, Shambhala is an intimate portrait of traditional life in the Himalayas. The film was shot on the border between Nepal and Tibet at altitudes ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 meters. The cast consists mainly of non-professional actors.