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Golden Kingdom

Play trailer 1:27 Poster for Golden Kingdom 2015 1h 44m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
When a monastery's chief abbot departs on a long journey and leaves four orphan boys alone in the middle of a forest, strange and magical occurrences begin to take place.
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Golden Kingdom

Critics Reviews

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Guy Lodge Variety 06/13/2016
An impressively disciplined, occasionally transporting debut feature from globe-trotting American helmer Brian Perkins. Go to Full Review
Jonathan Romney Screen International 06/13/2016
A more spiritual coming-of-age story than most, Burmese-language drama Golden Kingdom is an involving, visually ravishing story about child monks in Myanmar Go to Full Review
Clarence Tsui The Hollywood Reporter 06/13/2016
Golden Kingdom's theological backbone is fleshed out by a warm and endearing portrayal of its characters' childhood innocence. Go to Full Review
Mary Ann Brussat Spirituality & Practice 11/22/2016
3.5/5
An elegant spiritual drama about the spiritual journeys of four novice Buddhist monks in Myanmar. Go to Full Review
Andrea Chase Killer Movie Reviews 11/20/2016
4/5
A profoundly lyrical film about life, death, and spirituality. Go to Full Review
Kelly Vance East Bay Express 06/22/2016
Golden Kingdom, a narrative feature that seems at first to be a documentary, takes us someplace we might want to visit and convinces us it's utterly different from anywhere else. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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01/30/2018 Not for everyone but if you have an understanding of Buddhism you'll probably really enjoy the film See more 09/18/2016 While there are many wonderful and striking images in this film, there is a tendency of the filmmaker to create super slow moments that sometimes simply drag on. This is particularly true of the ending where images of walls, with paintings on them, are lingered over for a very long time. The child actors were terrific. See more 09/08/2016 First Hit: Very sweet film about four young monks left alone to fend for themselves. Filmed in Myanmar (Burma), the beautiful country side taking an impressive second seat to the beautiful spirits embodied in the novice (Ko Yin) priests; Witazara (Shine Htet Saw), Wezananda (Saw Ri), Thiridema (Than Maung), and Awadadema (Maung Sein). Their Abbot Sayadaw has to leave the remote monastery going through a treacherous mountain pass, leaving the oldest Witazara in charge. The young monks learn that Sayadaw may be killed going through the pass which makes them more nervous about their plight. However, left alone they practice their prayers, meditate and do their chores as always. There food has been provided by an old man who is a local villager each morning. Shortly after the Abbot leaves, the old man stops showing up with their food. Because they eat only once a day, they become hungry quickly and begin searching the area around them to find food. However, there is a war going on in Myanmar (Burma) villages are being vacated and they become more and more desparate. Witazara ventures out committed to find food for his fellow young monks. He fights his fears and demons and finds a willing helper. The sweetness of the monks doing their practice was amazing. The countryside of Burma, beautiful. Saw was wonderful as the one appointed to guide his fellow young monks. Ri, Maung, and Sein were amazing. The beauty in their spirits came though their eyes and actions. Brian Perkins wrote and directed this wonderfully beautiful film. Overall: A great look at the devotion and beauty of young Burmese monks. See more Read all reviews
Golden Kingdom

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Movie Info

Synopsis When a monastery's chief abbot departs on a long journey and leaves four orphan boys alone in the middle of a forest, strange and magical occurrences begin to take place.
Director
Brian Perkins
Producer
Matt O'Connor, Brian Perkins
Screenwriter
Brian Perkins
Production Co
Bank & Shoal
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Burmese
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 18, 2016
Runtime
1h 44m
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