Jampa Ludrup is a Buddhist monk and an expert in Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art that suggests how to harmonize human settlements with the energies of nature. A sixty-year-old white Australian of British descent, Jampa is far removed from any "zen" stereotypes. In 2012, he enlisted three Italian filmmakers to create a TV series on the Feng Shui of the world's most famous architectures, from the Taj Mahal to the Palace of Versailles. During the filming, which took place in India, Monaco, France, Italy, Germany, Denmark, and the UK, Jampa's unique biography and his complex relationship with his collaborators emerges. Amidst alternating fortunes, the TV project turned out to be a glorious failure. Years later, after losing track of Jampa, one of the three filmmakers finds him in Australia radically changed. He is no longer a monk, has accepted his homosexuality, and is about to marry. Amid tropical beaches, pristine forests, and experimenting life as a couple, Jampa is in search of a new balance.
The director Giuseppe Petruzzellis is one of the three filmmakers involved in this unique story. From his direct participation in the events described, it arises the intention to investigate the significance of a transformative journey. Blending road movie and tragicomedy, the creation of a TV series about the Feng Shui of the world’s most famous locations serves as the backdrop to the identity search of its author and host, Buddhist monk Jampa Ludrup. A megalomaniac project destined for failure becomes the key to delving into the intimate world of its eccentric protagonist. The extreme life of an individual who defies any definition provides an opportunity to explore universal themes. From a story that straddles spirituality and LGBTQI+ issues, deep reflections emerge on human relationships and the need to feel loved and recognized in the difficult quest to find one’s place in the world.
Zelia Zbogar (Sviluppo)
Jampa Ludrup, Paul William Butler, Claudio Curciotti, Julika Ingrassia, Davide Confalonieri, Giuseppe Petruzzellis, Eleonora Trani, Maria Laura Petruzzellis