By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, Sep 10: Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden’s latest feature Jinpa has won the ‘Orizzonti Award for Best Screenplay’ at the 75th Venice International Film Festival in Italy on Saturday.
“This is a film about awakening. Once we are awakened, we can step onto the road towards the future,” Tseden said on his fifth feature Jinpa. The Tibetan filmmaker came into International renown with his film Tharlo (2005).
The film had its world premiere on Sep. 4 at the Venice film fest to applause from the audience and critics alike. “For the past few works, more people were interested in Tibetan culture or new knowledge of living status of Tibetans. This time, through Jinpa, I hope the audience can understand more about the emotions and situations of individual Tibetans, rather than just knowing something about the ethnic group,” Tseden said at the premiere.
A review on the film by Jonathan Romney of Screendaily.com stated, “Playing at a concise 86 minutes, Jinpa nevertheless has the anecdotal feel of a short slightly stretched beyond its natural capacity, but it’s an enjoyable, teasing and very sly-humored watch with a charismatic lead and arresting visuals.”
The film produced by Wong Kar Wai and Jacky Pang feature Jinpa, Genden Phuntsok, Sonam Wangmo.
