Music Box Films has acquired North American home entertainment rights to “Wisdom of Happiness,” the Richard Gere executive-produced documentary in which the Dalai Lama reflects on compassion, inner peace and navigating the challenges of the modern world.
The acquisition is being announced in celebration of the Dalai Lama’s 91st birthday. The docu will debut on premium digital video-on-demand platforms across North America on Sept. 15, with pre-orders now open. Music Box Films will also release the film on DVD and Blu-ray at a later date.
Directed by Barbara Miller and Philip Delaquis, “Wisdom of Happiness” offers an intimate portrait of the Dalai Lama who speaks directly to viewers in a heart-to-heart conversation about achieving lasting happiness, balancing Tibetan Buddhist traditions with contemporary values and responding to the challenges of the 21st century.
Exec produced by Gere and Oren Moverman, “Wisdom of Happiness” premiered at the Zurich Film Festival in 2024 before becoming an international box office success, particularly in Switzerland, where it remained in the top 10 for seven consecutive weeks. Abramorama later released the film theatrically across more than 175 locations in North America in 2025.
“‘Wisdom of Happiness’ is an extraordinary heart-to-heart with the Dalai Lama,” Music Box Films said in a statement. “We are honored to bring this visually stunning and spiritually enlightening guide to achieving lasting happiness to a wider audience.”
Gere said the documentary offers more than a portrait of the Tibetan spiritual leader. “‘Wisdom of Happiness’ isn’t just a film about the Dalai Lama—it’s an invitation to reconnect with our shared humanity,” Gere said. “My dedication and participation in this project has reaffirmed my belief that his message of compassion, empathy, and shared responsibility has never been more urgent.”
Gere added that his “hope is that this film gives people the rare feeling of sitting face-to-face with the Dalai Lama and leaves them empowered to make a difference in their own lives and communities.”
Miller is an award-winning Swiss documentary filmmaker whose work has explored topics including the anti-globalization movement, domestic violence, internet sexuality, women’s rights and freedom of expression through films such as “Forbidden Voices” and “#Female Pleasure.” Since 2017, she has served as president of the Swiss Directors Guild and Screenwriters Association.
Delaquis previously worked as a journalist and producer for Swiss television before founding the Zurich-based production companies Das Kollektiv and Mons Veneris Films. His producing credits include “Bruno Manser,” “#Female Pleasure,” “Guru,” “Yalom’s Cure,” “Dürrenmatt” and “Wisdom of Happiness.” He is a member of both the Swiss Film Academy and the European Film Academy.
The home entertainment deal was negotiated by Brian Andreotti on behalf of Music Box Films and Jason Resnick of Autlook on behalf of the filmmakers. Autlook handles worldwide sales on the documentary.