By Tenzin Dickyi
New Delhi
‘The Open Frame 2006 ’ – an International Forum and Festival of Reality Films kicked off from 15th September and will continue till 24th September here at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
The festival presented by Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT) screens the most challenging productions of Asia and rest of the world, while stimulating reflection on local content and public service broadcasting issues.
Among many other different films from all around the world, this year two Tibetan documentary movies made their way into this prestigious Film festival. The two films were screened on 20th September in the evening.
‘Art in Exile’ directed by Nidhi Tuli and Ashraf Abbas is a 40 minutue film which explores the quiet struggle by Tibetans in exile in India to keep their culture and identity alive. It focuses on the Norbulinka Art Institude at Dharamsala, which teaches pure Tibetan art forms and hopes to accomplish its goal of ‘importing Tibetan culture back to Tibet.’
Another documentry film ‘Democracy in Exile’ by the Duo filmmaker, Mr. Tashi Wangchuk and Mr. Tsultrim Dorjee of Tibetan Motion Pictures and Arts also highlighted the Tibetan’s struggle for freedom. The film explores the ongoing debate among the Tibetans in exile about the two major stands in resolving the Tibetan political issues – ‘Genuine Autonomy’, a middle path proposed by the Tibetan Exile Government and an ‘Independent Tibet’ as proposed by the Tibetan Youth Congress.
The screening of the movie was followed by a serious panel discussion which later saw a very interactive question answer session. Mr. Tempa Tsering, New Delhi Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama was among the panelists along Ritu Sarin, a well known film maker who has ‘Dreaming Lhasa’ to her credit and the duo filmmaker Mr. Tashi Wangchuk and Mr. Tsultrim Dorjee. Nidhi Tuli was also present there to discuss her film.
Mr.Tempa Tsering briefly outlined the present stand of Tibetan Government in Exile in resolving the Tibet issue and also stated that the Tibetans here in exile in India who enjoy freedom in every form are the voices for the voiceless Tibetans who are back in Tibet and do not have any freedom.
The movies screened and the discussions were expected to create more awareness on the issue of Tibet within the Indian masses as well as the world at large.
Finally the discussion was put to an end due to time constrain.
