Australian actress Kerry Armstrong (Lantana, Sea Change, Bed of Roses) has added her voice to the issue of Tibet to narrate the documentary “Tibet’s Cry for Freedom”. Armstrong was in the SilverSun Pictures studio in Canberra recently where she recorded the voice over for the 52 minute broadcast version.
Armstrong, who donated her time to narrate the documentary, feels the issues raised are more important than money.
“I just think it’s so important to hear and acknowledge and do something when you understand that the Tibetan people have lost the very thing that you and I take for granted every day and that’s freedom” she said.
“Anyone would have this incredible sense that something’s not right so it’s about the human conscience. And I think what Lara is doing with this documentary is not in any way preaching, it’s not in any way pointing fingers, it’s actually just shedding light where light needs to be shed.”
Tibet’s Cry for Freedom is first time filmmaker Lara Damiani’s attempt to raise awareness about the Tibetan freedom struggle. It features interviews with the Dalai Lama, Prime Minister in Exile and Tibetans in exile including Lhasang Tsering and Tenzin Tsundue.
Damiani first approached Kerry Armstrong in Melbourne, Australia in July 2007 where Armstrong was the MC for a talk on Universal Responsibility given by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama.
“When I saw and heard Kerry on stage, and felt her strong sense of justice and empathy, I knew that she would be perfect to narrate my documentary” said Damiani.
Damiani began the project after an idea she had in late 2006 to make a documentary about Tibet’s freedom struggle in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics. It started with an email to Bob Thurman from Tibet House in New York who encouraged her to make the movie.
Initially self funded, the project was stalled in early 2008 due to a lack of funds and was rescued soon after by a generous donation from an Australian couple who heard about Damiani’s plight to raise funds to finish the film after being given a brochure about the project.
Damiani, who has written, produced and directed the documentary insists that the movie would never have been made without the generous support of so many people and organisations who donated their time, products and services from day one. “This is a great example of the support that exists for the Tibetan freedom struggle and what it represents” said Damiani.
Tibet’s Cry for Freedom is now getting strong interest from broadcasters around the world and Damiani hopes that it will be screened to worldwide audiences before the Olympics.
For more information, visit http://www.thetibetproject.com
