“Mission Joy: Finding Happiness in Troubled Times”

A documentary about the friendship of his Holiness the Dalai Lama and the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, will be shown at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre, 508 S. Main in Moscow. “Mission Joy: Finding Happiness in Troubled Times,” released in 2021, tells the story of two religious leaders who each overcame hardships in their youth. The Dalai Lama was exiled from his homeland after China conquered Tibet, while Tutu led non-violent resistance to the apartheid regime in South Africa. Tutu died Dec. 26, 2021, at age 90. The free showing is sponsored by St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and the Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Idaho. Donations will be accepted for Weekend Food for Kids, a summer program of St. Mark’s and the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse. Masks are required for admission, along with proof of Covid-19 vaccination or a negative Covid test in the previous two days. Vaccination cards will be checked in the theatre lobby. The film has won critical acclaim for its sensitive portrayal of the two Nobel Peace Prize winners. Inspired by best-selling “The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World,” the film showcases the exchange between these two Nobel Peace Prize winners that led to that book. It consists largely of never-before-seen footage shot over five days at the Dalai Lama’s residence in Dharamsala, India. Critics describe the film as “deeply moving” and “laugh-out-loud funny.” The film is directed by Louie Psihoyos and co-directed by Peggy Callahan. “With genuine affection, mutual respect and a healthy dose of teasing, these unlikely friends impart lessons gleaned from lived experience, ancient traditions, and the latest cutting-edge science regarding how to live with joy,” they write.