Director

KHYENTSE NORBU is one of the most important reincarnated lamas of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Born in 1961, he was recognised at the age of 7 as the reincarnation of Jamyang Khyenste Wangpo, a great saint and religious reformer, who played a fundamental role in the re-birth and preservation of Buddhism in Tibet in the last century. Up to the age of 12, Norbu studied in the Gangtok monastery, in the Sikkim region, and continued the studies in Buddhist philosophy in Bhutan and India. Despite being of Khyentse descent, Norbu is the tangible example of great mental openness. His rigorous Buddhist training, together with a profound interest in cinema, makes him one of the most provoking representatives of modern Tibetan Buddhism. He has never attended cinema schools but spent his apprenticeship with Bernardo Bertolucci during the shooting of Little Buddha. In 1995 Norbu made Etto Metto, a short film inspired by one of Tagore's short stories about life in a Bhutan village and, in 1996, the short film The Big Smoke. The cup is his first full-length film which was screened at the Cannes Directors' Fortnight in 1999.

Palden and Nyima, run away from Tibet, find shelter in a Tibetan monastery and are initiated to monastic life.

But they love football and there are only a few days left before the World Cup final: the young monks are more interested in the ball than in their prayers, they cover the walls of their rooms with fans' slogans and their sacred chants often lack the traditional religious fervour.

The three most passionate of football plot a night escape to go and watch the match in the TV room of the nearby village. But their plans are uncovered by Geko, in charge of the discipline within the monastery, and risk being expelled. They will reach a compromise which will reunite them and will bring peace and happiness back to the small community.

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