Unmistaken Child

Unmistaken Child is a documentary about the present-day search for the reincarnated soul of Lama Konchog, who died in 2001 at the age of 84. Konchog was recognized as an enlightened being and as such could return after death in a manner of his own choosing. His devoted assistant and disciple, Tenzin Zopa, is given the task of finding Konchog in the form of a child of about one and a half years, somewhere in Tibet. The film is successful and engaging on many levels – it is carefully shot in a very consistent hand-held style and is also an effectively structured story that takes us on a journey and rewards us with a satisfying conclusion. The plot is remarkably linear and takes advantage of privileged access to the inner workings of Tibetan Buddhist culture.

Many good documentaries are investigative, and there is at least one discovery here that would not be fair to give away in advance. If your interest is the history or practice of Buddhism (or the concept of reincarnation), you will find what you hoped to encounter in Unmistaken Child. For others, the necessary exposition is expertly delivered in the introduction through well-written (and stylishly designed) titles.

The funeral ceremony for Lama Konchog, the only flashback in the film, is shot in low resolution, with fuzzy-- looking orange and red robes. Placed early in the film, this sequence is haunting and fundamental to the story. Once the funeral pyre has consumed the Lama and the fire has become ash, everything is sifted and studied for signs to assist Zopa in his search. The searchers find tiny pearls, which are collected carefully with a small spoon, then placed in a glass lotus-shaped container. As one of the monks overturns a flat round bowl, others gravely warn him not to disturb what is underneath. They soon see, in the tracings of soot that the fire has left behind, a valuable sign that seems to point them in the right direction.

Zopa is chosen to go and find the Unmistaken Child (the reincarnated soul of Lama Konchog), and is   warned of the heavy responsibility of his search. If a mistake is made, he will be blamed. In a further complication, there is a deadline – once the child is four years old it will be difficult to separate him from his family. They must find the child before he is too old to be removed from his parents.

There are numerous scenes that seem to contain equal parts of humor and drama. Zopa creates drawings of the town and distant mountains in four directions, and they are sent, via a yellow silk-wrapped package, to Taiwan for further study. Weeks later a vhs tape is received  - the session with the “seer” was documented. A small door is opened in a cabinet, and an even smaller television is revealed. We see the monk in Taiwan using what seems to be an “etch-a-sketch” gadget to reveal to an astonished Zopa and a senior monk some more really useful information, including (with 95% certainty) clues concerning the village of the child's birth.

Armed with this knowledge, Zopa begins his journey, strolling across the Tibetan countryside with purpose and even a bit of swagger. The camera follows him across the terrain, often in the early morning, beautifully framing him with fluid hand-held movement. The lush rural landscapes, the villagers who glance up from their work and try to provide useful answers, the craggy ridges and fields, all have a rich and pleasing style. The film also makes great use of the charisma and general good nature of Tenzin Zopa, who seems to be in his late twenties. He has a kind, agreeable face and is totally devoted to his one goal, the most important task he will be called on to accomplish in his lifetime. He takes the weight of his journey seriously, yet cheerfully performs his investigation, going door to country door, day to day, always trying to consider each child with his full attention. He wins the audience early on in the film and never loses that empathy, even though the search continues into another year. When he explains that they have met a boy with potential, we see him at a beautiful placid lake, which is minimally draped with colorful Buddhist flags. Sitting still, he silently prays with near-tortured intensity for guidance, tears of concern falling slowly down his cheek.

When he finally encounters the jovial and serious plump little child who seems born for the camera, the effect is immediate and meaningful. The child’s big, dark, unblinking eyes make perfect cutaways when the family sits in the dimly lit hut, watching and waiting. The interaction between Zopa and the boy--the testing through object recognition and response – is funny and sincere

The potential discovery of the reincarnated Lama triggers more steps in the investigation. As the film moves from the countryside to the monasteries, the cinematography remains engaging – scenes are shot in relatively enclosed tents, small rooms and crowded spaces, but the camera is always mobile and searching. When Zopa and the boy finally visit the monastery of Lama Konchog, the view is from the inside of the vehicle. We see a seemingly endless line of people waiting as the car makes its way up the winding hill. Faces blur and time seems to slow as a sense of expectation grows. It’s a perfect visual setup for the entrance/return to the master’s monastery.

The verite nature of the cinematography, combined with on-camera interviews with Zopa that never feel staged, gives the film a very authentic feeling. Director Nati Baratz, who is Israeli, traveled extensively in India and Tibet before beginning the film after the Lama’s death. The commitment he and cinematographer Yaron Orbach brought to the project over its long duration is the kind of effort and passion necessary to sustain the creative spirit. Adding to the integrity of the production, the distributors are giving 20% of the film’s profits to Tibetan Buddhist organizations. Unmistaken Child is in many ways a testament to the international and universal nature of film to entertain and enlighten.

                                      Thomas W. Campbell