Ani Bond: Choying Drolma

Choying Drolma, a child of forced marriage and a victim of domestic violence, seeks refuge in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery where she learns to sing. An American musician brings her music to the United States of America, from where she starts her global music journey. However, some believe nuns should not sing, and her concert is boycotted in Hong Kong. Despite such criticism, Choying Drolma becomes a rock-star nun, fighting for girls’ education with her heavenly voice on the world stage. She founds a modern school for girls, builds a hospital in Kathmandu, addresses gender equality in the United Nations, calls for educational reform in Abu Dhabi, appeals for world peace in Europe, and becomes a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. However, a dark cloud remains in her heart since she cannot free herself emotionally from the past. She decides to fulfill her late father’s last wish and retrace her roots in his Tibetan hometown in Qinghai, China.

This is a story about a Nepali-Tibetan singing nun who brings the sound of peace during a turbulent time. Many have claimed the dawn of a new era of feminism has begun. Yet, the story of Ani Choying Drolma and those girls who had to take refuge in nunneries to escape their fates as domestic servants remains unheard. The World Health Organization projects that around the globe, one in three women experiences sexual or domestic violence at some point in their lives. Two-thirds of the world’s illiterate population is female. And less than 30 percent of characters in movies are female. Now is the time to tell this story through a film. In 2012, we met Ani Choying Drolma and visited her Arya Tara school in the suburb of Kathmandu for the first time. Back then, the school had no electricity, but the nuns still maintained the afternoon tea routine. Wearing a battered baseball glove in her right hand and holding an old cell phone for light in her left hand, Pema Rinchen was brewing afternoon tea in the dark kitchen and offering the first cup to the guests from afar. Ngawang Lhamo stood on the school playground, drinking tea and reading the newspaper. When the soft sunlight fell on her, we felt the charm of this school: although poor, these girls have learned how to preserve women’s elegance. That elegance, soft but resilient, has supported these girls and attracted us to film them. In 2015, when we met Ani Choying Drolma in Hong Kong again, she was just recovering from a severe illness and was in feeble health. We hope, through making a documentary, we can help spread the stories of her and these girls and raise money for the school so that more girls can have the opportunity to receive an education. In 2016, we officially launched our shooting. Nepal was devastated after the 2015 earthquake. On the first day of our arrival at Kathmandu, we encountered a small aftershock. However, the little nuns did not fall into the sorrow of the disaster. In the excitement of celebrating the Tibetan New Year, they chatted about their dreams. Some wish to be teachers to help all girls go to school; some long to be independent engineers; and others dream of being the Minister(s) of Finance so everyone will no longer be poor. Embedded in these childish words was the confidence in the girls' hearts and hope in their eyes. Such hope, as if a flame and a torch, guides the girls forward, and also becomes one of the most vital sources of motivation for us to persist in this project. The most expensive cost of a documentary is time. In the past seven years, we have been grateful to our team members for their perseverance, generosity, and selfless dedication. We have encountered many difficulties but received countless help and warmheartedness as well. From Hong Kong, Shanghai, Kathmandu, New York, Warsaw, Yushu, Beijing, Abu Dhabi, Varanasi, and back to Hong Kong, there are too many such stories along the way. Without everyone's commitment, talent, and compassion, this documentary film would not be possible. Going through the turmoil of the pandemic, we have finally completed this project. Immersed in Ani Choying Drolma’s powerful voice from the Himalayas, we invite you not only to engage in striving for women’s rights but also to reflect on an inward journey to transform the self. We wish this story would bring more attention to all girls in the same predicament and inspire these girls to grow confident, elegant, and capable of directing their destinies. As the Tibetan proverb says, “If I involve you in my dream, it becomes your dream too.” Thank everyone for being a part of this dream.