Tibetan Film Festival 2009
14 - 19 May 2009

• 14 May 2009, Thursday

5.30 pm

THE TIBETANS: A LIFE IN EXILE

director: Robb Bradstock
60 mins|English|Tibetan|English subtitle

After fifty years in exile the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan exile community face an impending crisis that may result in their culture losing its identity and disappearing forever.

6.40 pm

KUNDUN

director: Martin Scorsese
135 mins|English|Tibetan|English subtitle

The True Story Of A Man Whose Struggle Would Lead A Nation!
The classic biography of the young Dalai Lama

“Visually Stunning!.” - THE NEW YORK TIMES

“A Remarkable Achievement!” - USA TODAY

• 15 May 2009, Friday

5.30 pm

DREAMING OF TIBET

director: Will Parrinello
58 mins|Tibetan|English|English subtitle

A film about the resilience of the human spirit

“A moving documentary.” - OAKLAND TRIBUNE

CINE Golden Eagle
Audience Award, Amnesty International Film Festival
Barcelona International Festival of Human Rights

6.40 pm

WINDHORSE

Paul Wagner
97 mins|English|Tibetan|English subtitles

In Tibet, nothing is more dangerous than the truth.

“****! An amazing movie! A searing political drama that rips the veils off Western idealism about Tibet. A look at Tibet’s spiritual core in the form of a punch in the stomach.” - Peter Stack, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Won Audience Award in Best Feature film - Florida Film Festival, 1998
Nominated Grand Jury Award  in narrative - Florida Film Festival, 1998

• 16 May 2009, Saturday

5.30 pm

THE LOST WORLD OF TIBET

director: Emma Hindley
90 mins|English|Tibetan|English subtitle

* a BBC production presented by Dan Cruickshank.
“a rare treasure trove that reveals the story of the Dalai Lama & the secrets of ancient Tibet."

7.10 pm

DREAMING LHASA

director: Ritu Sarin | Tenzing Sonam
90 mins|English|Tibetan|English subtitles

“This quiet little film is well propelled by the powers of gentle persuasion and emotional subtlety.” - THE HINDUSTAN TIMES

“A film of both personal honesty and social insight...a keenly felt and well-told story of nations and the individual people who form them.” - NEW YORK SUN

1st Asian Festival of 1st Films, Singapore
Nominated Best Picture
Best Screenplay, 2005

8.50 pm

LEAVING FEAR BEHIND

director: Dhondup Wangchen | Jigme Gyatso
25 mins|Tibetan|English subtitles

Soon after sending out their tapes on March 10, 2008, Dhondup Wangchen and Golog Jigme were arrested. They remain in detention today. Dhondu Wangchen was last seen in detention in Guangsheng Binguan in Xining (Qinghai). Golog Jigme was last seen in a detention center in the town of Lingxia (Gansu).

• 17 May 2009, Sunday

5.30 pm

UNWINKING GAZE

director: Joshua Dugdale
74 mins|English|Tibetan|English subtitles

The inside story of The Dalai Lama's struggle for Tibet

"...could force China into a more civil humanitarian stance" - THE GUARDIAN

6.50 pm

THE CUP: AN INSPIRING TRUE STORY

director: Khyentse Norbu
90 mins|Tibetan|English subtitles

"Rich in detail, yet often irreverent in tone, The Cup takes moviegoers on an eye-opening journey." - Robert W. Welkos, LOS ANGELES TIMES

Special Jury Award: Amiens International Film Festival
Screen International Award: European Film Awards
One Future Prize : Munich Film Festival

• 18 May 2009, Monday

5.30 pm

MYSTIC TIBET: AN OUTER, INNER, AND SECRET PILGRIMAGE

director: Christina Lundberg
90 mins|English|Tibetan|English subtitle

Follow fifty pilgrims as they travel to the roof of the world for the spiritual adventure of a life time, guided by the Tibetan master Lama Zopa Rinpoche

"A pilgrimage with Rinpoche is not sightseeing. It's like heart-seeing."-- a pilgrim on the tour

“A stunning new documentary... A spiritual treat for the eye, mind and heart.” - MANDALA MAGAZINE

7.10 pm

HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA IN CONVERSATION WITH RAJIV MEHROTRA

director: Doordarshan National, March 30th 2009
48 mins|English

8.10 pm

TIBET’S CRY FOR FREEDOM

director: Lara Damiani
52 mins|Tibetan|English |English subtitles

....a documentary about one nation's peaceful struggle for survival..

Through the eyes of the Dalai Lama and exiled Tibetans in 2007 and 2008, Tibet's Cry for Freedom explores both past and present in Tibet's long suffering non-violent freedom struggle. Discover the truth about Tibet's history and ponder the future of a nation whose time is fast running out.

• 19 May 2009, Tuesday

5.30 pm

ART IN EXILE

director: Nidhi Tuli | Ashraf Abbas
30 mins|Tibetan|English |English subtitles

“Tuli and Abbas explore the efforts of the Tibetan community in India to keep their culture identity alive. The film focuses on Dharamsala’s Norbulingka Art Institute, which teaches pure Tibetan art forms and hopes to achieve the seemingly impossible goal of transporting them back to Tibet one day.”  - THE TRIBUNE

6.10 pm

DRAMGYEN: THE LUTE

director: Tashi Eugyalaversion
13 mins|Tibetan|English subtitles

….......a short film based on a new Tibetan immigrant in USA.

6.30 pm

RICHARD GERE IS MY HERO

director: Tashi Wangchuk | Tsultrim Dorjee
90 mins|Tibetan|English subtitles

"Film is indeed one of the most powerful tools to highlight issues of any kind. On behalf of the Tibetan Cabinet, let me congratulate the team for making notable films like 'Richard Gere is my hero', Phun Anu Thanu – two exile brothers' and 'Democracy in Exile'."— Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, Tibetan Prime Minister

8.10 pm

UNDERCOVER IN TIBET

Channel 4
48 mins|Tibetan|English subtitles

As Tibetan protesters take to the streets in the biggest and most bloody challenge to Chinese rule in nearly 20 years, Dispatches reports on the hidden reality of life under Chinese occupation.

Click here to read the Synopsis of the FILMS..