Preserving a sacred path to change the destiny of a new generation
A determined Lao Buddhist monk is working to bring a sacred education to his country’s poorest children, aiming to lift a new generation out of war and poverty
Official Trailer
“The saffron color fills the room… it leaps out of the screen with its warmth and its deep meaning, spiritual, and historic. This is an important film, a tender, serious look at the most unknown Buddhist civilization of Southeast Asia.”
—Hans Georg Berger, Co-Founder of Buddhist Heritage Project of Luang Prabang
“A film that captures the feeling, beauty, and rhythms of a remarkable community in a land most of us know too little about.”
—Peter Cohn, Film Director
“A film that captures the feeling, beauty, and rhythms of a remarkable community in a land most of us know too little about. I can’t tell you how moved I was by Saffron Robe. Naturally, I was struck by the film’s beauty but along with that I loved the altruism that drove all aspects of the project. It is a story we can learn so much from.”
—Valerie Arieta, Decorative Arts Curator & CIFF Festival Attendee
From The Director
Director’s Statement:
Twelve years ago, I embarked on my first journey to Laos, where I had the privilege of meeting Abbot Onekeo Sittivong, a revered Buddhist monk who oversees the Lao Buddhist Fellowship across much of northern Laos. Over time, he welcomed me—and eventually our crew—into the sacred world of Lao Theravada Buddhism in Luang Prabang, a realm rarely glimpsed by Westerners.
My relationship with the abbot developed gradually over multiple visits, rooted in mutual trust and respect. This bond ultimately granted our crew rare access to his private school where its devoted students pursue their education with deep reverence. At the same time, Abbot Onekeo works tirelessly to safeguard the traditions and values of Lao Buddhism, now under increasing pressure from the forces of modernization.
As a Buddhist monk, Abbot Onekeo must carefully navigate his role within a Lao communist government—a challenge we, as filmmakers, also had to negotiate. Yet in the end, I believe we captured the heart and soul of his remarkable efforts, offering a window into the vital work being done in a quiet corner of the world.
Bringing this delicate story to the screen required great care and sensitivity. To that end, our editor, Thavisouk “Thavi” Phrasavath (Academy Award–nominated The Betrayal), brought both deep experience and a personal connection to the material as a Lao refugee in helping to shape the film with profound care and authenticity.
