100 minutes / Color
Burmese; Spanish; English / English subtitles
Closed Captioned
Release: 2020
Copyright: 2017
In Burma, the “Venerable Wirathu” is a highly respected and influential Buddhist monk. Meeting him amounts to traveling to the heart of everyday racism and observing how Islamophobia and hate speech lead to violence and destruction. Yet this is a country in which 90% of the population has adopted Buddhism as a faith: a religion based on a peaceful, tolerant and non-violent way of life.
This is third film in Barbet Schroeder’s TRILOGY OF EVIL, which includes GENERAL IDI AMIN DADA: A SELF PORTRAIT (1974) and TERROR'S ADVOCATE (2007). Continuing Schroeder’s deconstruction of charismatic enablers of reactionary violence, THE VENERABLE W.. delves into the contradictions and hypocrisy of its soft-spoken subject. Hailed as "The Face of Buddhist Terror," Wirathu's teachings have sparked violence and arson against Burma's minority-Muslim population. Filmed with typical restraint, the final entry in Schroeder’s trilogy is a chilling portrait of hatred that carries undeniable resonances beyond the borders of Burma's ethnic conflict.
““W.” shows that it’s sometimes necessary to look directly at the face of evil if we are to eradicate nefarious beliefs.” —IndieWire
“The Venerable W. is a necessary, up-close portrait… It isn’t just an examination of hate speech, but a reflection of our worst instincts when it comes to how we process and act upon information.” —The Film Stage
“Bold. A film that debunks clichés.” —Les Echos
“Masterful.” —Télérama
“This is a sombre, pessimistic, but necessary film." —The Guardian
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