We are thrilled to welcome Buddhist scholar, teacher, and writer Cuong Lu in conversation with Portland filmmaker Brian Lindstrom.
Cuong Lu was ordained a monk at Plum Village in France under the guidance of Thich Nhat Hanh and became his 18th disciple. He dedicated his life to service after witnessing a shooting while fleeing Vietnam in 1975. Cuong is the founder of Mind Only School, leads retreats, and gives Dharma talks in Europe, the United States, and Asia. A former prison chaplain, he is the author of The Buddha in Jail, as well as Wait: A Love Letter to Those in Despair. His new book, Happiness Is Overrated, invites us to look deeply at the truths in our lives—not glossing over or denying our suffering—and to focus on the meaning and value already within us.
Brian Lindstrom is a documentary filmmaker known for Alien Boy, Finding Normal, The Horrible Terrible Misadventures of David Atkins, Mothering Inside, and his most recent film, Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill (2022). He is married to author Cheryl Strayed and lives in Portland.
