Milarepa (2025): Beautiful, Confusing, and Sometimes Just Baffling

A reflective Tibetan perspective on Louis Nero’s reimagining of Milarepa — a visually beautiful yet culturally unsettling film that blends creativity with controversy.

By Tsering Passang

Louis Nero’s Milarepa (2025) arrives as an ambitious, visually striking reimagining of one of Tibet’s most revered spiritual masters. Whenever someone outside our community interprets the life of Jetsun Milarepa, it naturally stirs mixed feelings – curiosity, hope, caution, and sometimes unease. After watching the film, I felt a bit of everything, though admittedly more of the latter.

Yet even before I reached the screening venue – the Italian Cultural Institute in London, something happened that set the tone for the entire viewing experience.

Retelling Milarepa’s Life on the Way to Childcare

Driving my children to childcare, they asked where I was headed afterward. I told them I was attending a new screening of a film about Milarepa – a name that immediately animated them, as it often does. Like many Tibetan parents, I have narrated Milarepa’s story to them many times.

And so, navigating the London traffic, I told it again.

I spoke of Milarepa’s tragic childhood: how his family was left impoverished after his father’s death; how relatives seized the family’s inheritance; and how, in despair and bitterness, the young boy learned black magic to take revenge – only to recoil in horror at the destruction he caused.

Then came the heart of the story: his turning away from harm and destruction, his desperate search for the teacher Marpa Lotsawa, the severe trials imposed on him, and the years of solitary meditation in Himalayan caves that culminated in enlightenment. It is a story of profound moral transformation – one that resonates across generations.

My children listened, interjected at times, and finally asked, “So is the film the same story?”

Milarepa as a Girl: A Creative Leap or a Cultural Misstep?

The film’s first major surprise is the portrayal of Milarepa as a female protagonist named “Mila” (pronounced “Meila”).

This is not a creative casting choice – it is a full rewriting of the character’s identity.

For Tibetans, this choice is deeply disorienting. Milarepa’s journey as a young boy – and later, as a renunciant who transforms immense suffering into spiritual awakening – is central to Tibetan cultural memory. Altering his gender shifts the narrative’s emotional architecture and distances the film from the historical and spiritual foundation of the story.

I asked director Louis Nero during the Q&A, and later again in conversation, why he chose to depict Milarepa as a female protagonist. He replied that the decision was entirely intentional, the altered name deliberate, and that the film was meant as a creative reinterpretation rather than a faithful rendering of the historical figure.

Without a strong cultural or spiritual rationale, the shift feels unanchored – designed more for Western audiences than for those who hold Milarepa’s legacy close.

About That Sex Scene… Why? Truly, Why?

The most jarring moment in the film is a brief sexual encounter involving the protagonist. It contributes almost nothing to the development of the story, yet immediately restricts who can comfortably watch the film.

When questioned about it, the director suggested that it was not a “sex scene” per se, but an acknowledgment of sexual behaviour within monastic communities.

Regardless of intention, it felt unnecessary. It neither deepens the character’s spiritual arc nor strengthens the narrative. Instead, it introduces an awkward dissonance – especially for Tibetan families.

I had planned to take my 12-year-old daughter – because truly, with a film about Milarepa, what could go wrong?

Thankfully, I reconsidered. As it happened, my daughter didn’t feel like going either.

Milarepa’s authentic life story is the one Tibetan parents proudly pass down precisely because it embodies ethical clarity and spiritual transformation. The inclusion of a sexual moment adds nothing to this message and feels more like an insertion for dramatic tension than narrative purpose.

A Milarepa Film Without Tibetans – Not Even One

Another glaring issue is the complete absence of Tibetan representation. With a production budget of approximately €3 million, the film did not cast a single ethnic Tibetan.

Not one.

Although filmmaking should not be restricted solely by ethnicity, crafting a cinematic interpretation of Tibet’s most beloved saint – without Tibetan actors, Tibetan landscapes, Tibetan attire, or Tibetan cultural presence – is a decision that cannot be overlooked.

Filmed in Sardinia, the landscapes bear no resemblance to the Himalayas. Some of the monastic robes resemble styles associated with the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) rather than Tibetan monastic dress. The director later acknowledged his admiration for Sangharakshita (born Dennis Lingwood), FWBO’s founder, which clarifies the influence – but also distances the film even further from Tibetan roots.

When reimagining Milarepa’s story, maintaining at least some recognisably Tibetan elements would help anchor the narrative.

Where the Film Truly Shines

Despite its cultural and narrative departures, Milarepa does excel in several areas:

Outstanding Performances

This must be acknowledged clearly.

• Isabelle Allen, as Mila, delivers an emotionally rich, introspective performance with remarkable sincerity.
• Harvey Keitel and F. Murray Abraham bring depth and gravitas, grounding the story with their veteran presence.

These performances are among the film’s strongest assets, and credit is due to all three for elevating the material.

Visual Mastery

• The cinematography is undeniably beautiful. Sardinia’s rugged landscapes, though not Tibetan, are captured with care and artistry.
• Certain scenes showcase breathtaking compositions that make the film a pleasure to watch visually.

Production Ambition

The film’s stylistic blend – post-apocalyptic aesthetic, spiritual-fantasy atmosphere, and philosophical undertones – reflect Louis Nero’s distinctive creative vision.

If one looks closely, Milarepa’s silhouette is present – refracted through Nero’s unique, imaginative lens.

A Beautiful Film – But Not Our Milarepa

Here is my honest conclusion:

Milarepa (2025) is visually compelling, boldly imaginative, and strengthened by strong performances from its principal cast.

But culturally? Spiritually? Historically?

It drifts too far from the essence of Milarepa’s life.

When a revered Tibetan saint is reinvented as a girl, placed in a foreign landscape, dressed in non-Tibetan robes, surrounded by non-Tibetan symbolism, given an unnecessary sexual encounter, and portrayed entirely without Tibetan involvement – what remains is no longer Milarepa’s story.

What remains is a spiritual fantasy inspired loosely by his name.

Is it a bad film?
No.

But is it meaningful for Tibetans hoping to see their heritage, spirituality, and cultural memory on screen? Unfortunately, no.

Milarepa’s authentic story teaches us to confront our shadows, transform anger into wisdom, and commit to profound inner practice. That message is timeless – and sacred.

Nero’s Milarepa is beautiful in many ways.

But Milarepa himself?
Only in name.

Film Details:

Title: Milarepa (2025)
Director: Louis Nero

Runtime: 100 minutes
Release Date: 19 June 2025 (Italy)

Estimated Budget: €3,000,000
Worldwide Gross: $29,155