Event Details
Date & Time
Tuesday, Sep 22, 2026 4:45 PM - 6:15 PM
About This Event
Buddhist Cinema: The Medium and the Message
The 2026 Arnold Humanities Lecture “Buddhist Cinema: The Medium and the Message” will be delivered by Dr. Francisca Cho, Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Georgetown University.
Dr. Cho will share her insights into how Buddhist teachings emphasize the importance of using media to create transformative and meaningful experiences. Dr. Cho’s talk takes a distinctive approach: She examines how Buddhism itself teaches the necessity of the visual medium in shaping people’s experience of the world and Buddhist teachings. She also argues that the Buddhist message is not only about what is communicated, but how it is communicated. This perspective invites audiences to appreciate cinema as a powerful vehicle for religious reflection. Dr. Cho will illustrate this central idea through a discussion of the popular movie Groundhog Day, exploring the ways this film’s narrative embodies Buddhist principles of repetition, transformation, and awakening.
This lecture is intended for general audiences and all are welcome!
Please RSVP here for refreshments.