Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion

February 27, 2008

Watch the destruction of Tibetan culture, the suffering of its people & their will to survive.

I saw this documentary a year ago, and it’s been in the back of my mind ever since. Thankfully, I found the entire thing on YouTube and have posted it below.

It’s impossible to fully understand the situation in Tibet just by watching one documentary, but the filmmakers did a fine job (88% rating @ Rotten Tomatoes) and it’s a great place to start. Here is the synopsis:

“Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion is a dramatic documentary that takes viewers through the astonishing recent political history of the country. Spending over ten years making the film, director Tom Peosay presents a clear, concise, educational chronology that tracks the major events and developments in the Tibet-China conflict both within those two countries and internationally. The film shows the beauty of the country’s Himalaya Mountains, the artistry of Tibetan clothing and monasteries, the practices of the Buddhist religion, and the gentle spirit of the Tibetan people.

But the most powerful part of the film includes archival news coverage, interviews with politicians and historians, and testimonials from survivors of torture and imprisonment. Woven together, these pieces tell the story of the immensely disturbing, violent ongoing struggle resulting from Tibet’s occupation by China. The film does an excellent job with its material, and viewers will find themselves searching for a solution and an answer to Tibet’s problems long after the movie’s conclusion.”

If you would like to comment on the current protests and this year’s Olympic Games, please do so in the other article. I would like to reserve this one for comments on the actual film: which parts move/ intrigue/ shock/ anger you the most? And if you have information that further enhances or refutes things discussed in this film, feel free to share your sources. Thanks.