Richard Gere highlights the Dalai Lama’s legacy of compassion in new documentary

At the heart of the Himalayan town often dubbed “Little Lhasa,” actor and activist Richard Gere stood among monks and devotees this July 6, celebrating the 90th birthday of his long-time spiritual mentor — and what he fondly calls his “favourite uncle” — His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

Now, Gere is bringing the Tibetan Buddhist leader’s voice to the global stage in a way never seen before. His latest project, Wisdom of Happiness, is a powerful 90-minute documentary that features the Dalai Lama speaking directly to camera — no narration, no frills, just wisdom.

“For 50 years, I’ve walked this path of Buddhism, guided by this extraordinary man,” Gere said in an interview ahead of the film’s US theatrical release. “He’s joyful and fierce in his compassion — and utterly human. That’s what I wanted the world to see,” he said.

Directed by Philip Delaquis and Barbara Miller, and produced by Gere, the film invites audiences into the mind of the Nobel Peace laureate, as he reflects on personal growth, universal compassion and the urgent need for a shift in global consciousness.

“Reality itself is now telling us our way of thinking must change,” the Dalai Lama says in the film. “This century should be the century of compassion,” he says.

For Gere, this isn’t just a film — it’s a prayer on the film. As the world reels from conflict, division and climate crisis, Wisdom of Happiness offers a rare, radiant alternative — a vision of unity, rooted in the wisdom of a man who, to Gere, is more than a teacher — he’s family.