TORONTO – A group of Tibetan Buddhists risked imprisonment when they viewed a video message from the Dalai Lama that was smuggled into Tibet.
But for Canadian filmmakers Kalsang Dolma and François Prévost, who put their lives in danger taking the footage into Tibet, it was worth it to be able to capture the reactions of these Tibetans for their documentary feature What Remains of Us, which receives its world debut at the Hot Docs Festival in Toronto Tuesday.
“Just having a picture of His Holiness is risky,” Dolma said. “We entered with his message — that explains everything of the risk that we took. I would like the rest of the world to know what is going on inside Tibet.”
Filmed between 1996 and 2004 with small digital cameras, What Remains of Us evolved over the eight years, Prévost said.
“After meeting His Holiness, we had this idea to bring this message that we filmed with him, to bring it inside Tibet and then get the response, the voice from inside,” he said.
Though they had shot footage of other Dalai Lama supporters — located in India for example — once they saw the emotional response of Tibetans, the filmmakers changed their focus.
After many decades, “the spirit is still there,” Dolma said. “They still believe in His Holiness. It was very sad at the same time. I was really stunned by their belief.”
Prévost hopes the rarity of this point of view will appeal to audiences.
“Only a few documentaries have footage from inside Tibet. Interview? Well, forget about it,” he said. “It’s really rare to get really close to people — close enough to have their voices.”
Though the feature is now complete, the danger is not over. Whereas most filmmakers seek wide distribution — in theatres, for instance, as well as on television — Dolma and Prévost have to keep in mind that their documentary shows the faces of Tibetan Dalai Lama supporters, putting them at risk of persecution by the Chinese government.
“We decided to have private screenings in theatres, with high security levels, so that nobody brings in recording devices, cameras,” Prévost said. “We considered the risk that the Beijing authorities would go after these people.”
The Toronto screening — complete with security searches — will be the benchmark, Dolma added, saying that they would learn from their experiences in Toronto for future showings.
“Hearing Tibetans in exile is [one thing] but hearing from Tibetans inside Tibet — I think it’s very, very important,” she said.
“I would like the world to hear them and see them: their emotions, their faces, their eyes. You can tell they’re suffering. We really need to support them.”
What Remains of Us debuts at Toronto’s Bloor Cinema Tuesday evening. The feature will also be shown during International Critics’ Week at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.
