Crows Are White (2022)

Crows Are White is a 2022 personal documentary following filmmaker Ahsen Nadeem as he travels to Japan in search of answers about faith, identity, and spiritual life. At an isolated Buddhist monastery, his planned investigation develops into an unexpected relationship with a young monk whose personality contrasts sharply with the image of monastic life he imagined.

Shot over five years and across three continents, the film mixes observational documentary, personal essay, humor, and spiritual reflection. Nadeem uses his own uncertainty as the organizing principle, making the documentary as much about his search for understanding as about the monastery itself.

• Directed by Ahsen Nadeem.
• Runtime is approximately 99 minutes.
• The film premiered at South by Southwest.
• It was filmed over five years across three continents.
• Matthew Nauser handled cinematography, with editing by Kimberley Hassett and Weston Currie.