One mile above 转山 THIS Buddhist Film Festival

This film is a great selection for the ending film of this year's THIS Buddhist Film Festival. Not a teary film actually but I find it very inspiring. It is not a full stop but more like a comma for the Buddhist Film Festival, and a comma for our own journey :)

It's based on a true story of a Taiwanese man, Zhang Shu Hao who wish to fulfill the unaccomplished dream of his late brother who wish to cycle from Lijiang to Lhasa. The development of the story was rather good as you could see that initially Shu Hao behaves like any average city young man who has just accepted a daunting mission yet very doubtful of his decision. Through his journey, he had very nice experience with the friendly locals as well as facing life and death situations. All this helps in making him more sturdy for the next treacherous journey ahead. At the very end of the show, when Shu Hao reaches the highest peak of the mountainous route, he decides to abandon most of his belongings and cycle ahead to Lhasa.

Watching this film, I recalled my own personal mountain hiking experiences. True enough, every bit of the journey is filled with physical weariness, emotional struggles and being with yourself. In life, when we found a goal to strive, there comes also the fair share of problems that make you suspect your initial objective and wavers your determination. Those that succeed are those that pushed on.

In the story, Shu Hao started the trip that was the wish of his late brother. But as the story progresses, he took ownership to the trip and that is where he pushes on by himself. We all could have our very own expectation and some are expectations from our parents as well as society. Yet, it is only by having ownership of our own life journey, can we do our very best for it, accepting the hardships that came or will come to face.

We can never be in the best situation in all moments of our life, doing what we like or wish to fulfill. We could only do our best with the resources we have. It takes great courage to pursue our dreams, yet it takes great spirit and determination to do things that we don't like and need to be done.

When we are at our downs in life, a good approach is to reflect on how much we have come to be where we are now. And draw strength from all the people that has supported you, your family and your friends. They have a part in you. And when you move on, you are moving on not alone but all of them. And when you succeed, you know they are there to witness your success with you.

Watch the trailer here > http://thisfilmfest.com/one-mile-above/