By Phurbu Thinley
Why hasn’t Tibet been freed? Who is keeping the movement from going forward?
These are the questions Director Dirk Simon takes a closer look at in his forthcoming documentary film about “Free Tibet” movement in a quest to “understand why the world is still dealing with unsettled issues like the Tibetan cause and what can really be done to eradicate them.”
Seven years in the making, ‘
For the first time, the film introduces the only officially recognised descendant of the Great Religious Kings of Tibet, Lhagyari Trichen Namgyal Wangchuk. Continuing a 1400 year old lineage, the 18 year old boy was crowned by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in June 2004 in Dharamsala, India. With exclusive footage from the coronation, intimate interviews and access to the family’s archive material, it explores the struggle of a young Tibetan King alongside the peers of his generation.
The film also features Richard Gere, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the 14th Dalai Lama, some of the most prominent Chinese contemporary artists and key figures of the exiled Tibetan freedom movement and their followers.
The combination of full HD footage from India, China, Tibet and the US along with a prologue narrated by Dennis Haysbert and original soundtracks by a string of music icons, the filmmaker hopes will make this “the first film that presents the complexity of the struggle with such emotional impact.”
Radiohead frontman and altogether British music icon Thom Yorke has composed three new songs for the soundtrack of the film.
While the film features new music from Damien Rice and composer Philip Glass, older songs from Bjork, Eric Clapton, DJ Spooky, UNKLE and Rob D will also appear in the film.
Director Dirk Simon confirmed the news via TwentyFourBit and on the movie’s official website.
Apparently, more information pertaining to it’s premiere and general release is said to be revealed shortly. You can check out the trailer and more information on the movie by visiting it’s official website.
