EXCLUSIVE: The Swiss documentary Wisdom of Happiness – A Heart-to-Heart with the Dalai Lama has achieved success at the box office since its world premiere at the Zurich Film Festival in October. The film has shown well in Switzerland, Germany, and other countries, and its international distribution is still ongoing. The picture, which was produced by Richard Gere and Oren Moverman, is being marketed by Autlook Filmsales, which is going to the EFM to increase its audience. The United States and Latin America are negotiating.

In Switzerland, where Ascot Elite debuted in December, the documentary, which shows the Dalai Lama speaking directly to the audience, has sold over 70,000 tickets. It is marketed as “a peaceful cinema experience that resonates long after.” It was a Top 3 arthouse title during the run and spent seven weeks in the Top 10.

Wisdom of Happiness, which debuted on November 7 of last year and has sold over 48,000 tickets through X Filmverleih in Germany, is ranked among the top 5 documentaries of 2024 in the market. Since its mid-January debut in Denmark, Øst For Paradis has seen over 5,000 admissions. The play goes on.

The Dalai Lama provides insights on humanity’s global search for inner peace and happiness in the documentary, which was directed by Barbara Miller and Philip Delaquis. His vision for a peaceful and harmonious 21st century is also highlighted in the movie, which offers a message of hope and solidarity in the face of uncertainty.

Ralph Dietrich of Ascot Elite stated, “We are ecstatic and pleased of Wisdom of Happiness’s impressive box office performance. It is so satisfying to watch fans appreciate a movie that speaks to our common humanity and encourages hope for the future during these trying times for the business. For months, the movie has been playing consistently in cinemas, and it will undoubtedly be there for a very long time. It is quite uncommon for visitors to return more than once. Particularly, movies in the afternoon and early evening are very popular.

“This success reflects the international appeal of Wisdom of Happiness, and we are certain that film will continue to thrive in cinemas and resonate with audiences worldwide,” said Stephanie Fuchs, CEO of world sales at Autlook Filmsales.

As executive producers, Gere and Moverman worked together on every facet of the project. “Wisdom of Happiness is a really remarkable film that we hope will significantly influence how we think and feel about ourselves and the others with whom we share this beautiful planet,” said Gere, a longtime friend and student of the Dalai Lama. According to my pals, this is the most significant movie I have ever seen.

Gere will attend the April screening of Wisdom of Happiness at the Barcelona Film Festival, which will be released on April 30 through A Contracorriente’s Selecta Vision. In May, there will be more releases in Italy (via Wanted), backed by Gere as well.