Palden Gyatso, a Tibetan Buddhist monk since childhood, was arrested by the Chinese communist army in 1959. He spent the next 33 years in prison for the “crimes” of demonstrating peacefully and refusing to falsely denounce his teacher as an Indian spy. He was tortured, starved and forced to perform hard labor. He watched his nation and culture destroyed, his teachers, friends and family displaced, jailed or killed by the Chinese occupiers. Despite this, he remained unbroken, keeping the flame of his spirit ablaze.

Daughters of Wisdom is an intimate portrait of the nuns of Kala Rongo, a rare and exceptional Buddhist Monastery exclusively for women in remote northeastern Tibet. Here, these women are receiving unprecedented educational and religious training, and preserving their rich cultural heritage even as they slowly reshape it. Some shy, some outspoken, all committed to the often difficult life they have chosen, the nuns graciously allowed the camera a never-before-seen glimpse into their vibrant spiritual community and insight into their extraordinary lives.