​DOCUMENTARY SCREENING & POST-SCREENING DISCUSSION

​KŪKAI

​The Epic Documentary

​A Fearless Voyage Across Seas, A Boundless Awakening of All Beings

​Best Documentary, London Independent Film Awards · 8 International Awards · Official Selection at 27 Film Festivals

​KŪKAI is the first Chinese documentary to offer a complete portrait of Kūkai (774–835), the Japanese monk who undertook a perilous sea voyage to Tang China in search of the true Dharma and returned to found Shingon Buddhism, carrying the intellectual, artistic and technological achievements of the Tang civilization to Japan. Five years in the making with more than 800 collaborators, director Yue Ye’s feature debut recreates Kūkai’s world and revisits the Tang-era cultural exchange that shaped East Asia.

​Directed by Yue Ye · 97 min · Classical Chinese narration with English subtitles

​Featuring

​A live virtual conversation with Director Yue Ye, followed by a discussion with invited scholars and audience Q&A.

​Event Details

​Monday, October 12, 2026
6:30–9:00 PM
Anthropology & Art Practice Building (AAPB), Room 160
UC Berkeley

​Advance registration recommended. Walk-ins welcome as space permits.

​Post-Screening Discussion

​Join us to discuss the film, its historical research, and the cultural exchanges between China and Japan.

​Discussants

​Dr. Lucy Huang
Sheng-yen Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Buddhism Studies

​Linda Gao
Graduate Student, Comparative Literature

​Moderators

​Jianye He
Interim Director, C. V. Starr East Asian Library

​Green (Sirun) Wang
President, Datong Society of China Studies at Berkeley

​Co-Presented By

​C. V. Starr East Asian Library
Datong Society of China Studies at Berkeley
Deep Value, Inc.

​Follow @kukai.movie · Official film website