2010

A Shawl to Die For tracks the ancient craft of shahtoosh weaving in Kashmir, India and discovers its links to the Tibetan antelope or Chiru found on the Chang Tang plateau in the Tibet Autonomous region of China. The documentary discovers and establishes that shahtoosh is in fact, the under-fleece of the Chiru, which is killed to extract this extraordinary fibre. This wool however comes with a historical importance as it has been woven into fabric only in the Kashmir valley in north India.

Mustang, a kingdom whose existence has long been kept secret, is in the territory of Nepal in the fabled land of Lo. It is hidden behind the high wall of the Himalayas, like a wedge driven into Tibet. The afternoon wind blows everyday, tirelessly obliterating all trace of each caravan. In front of the royal palace, monks intone ancient Buddhist prayers over and over again. Time seems to have stopped in this medieval fortress. Electricity, roads and cars are unknown to these people and yet, in some ways, they are ahead of us: in their incredible knowledge of nature and in their way of life.

Narrated by Richard Gere, Mustang – Journey of Transformation, tells the remarkable story of a 15th century Tibetan culture pulled back from the brink of extinction through the restoration of its most sacred sites. Featuring His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the film is a tale of hope and rebirth told by the people who helped save this once Forbidden Kingdom.

Special Jury Award, Documentary EcoVision Palermo, Sicily; Audience Award, World Cinema Short Maui Film Festival; Best Film On Mountain Culture Taos Mountain Film Festival.

The Buddhist concept of reincarnation, while both mysterious and enchanting, is hard for most westerners to grasp. Unmistaken child follows the four-year search for the reincarnation of Lama Konchog, a world-renowned Tibetan master who passed away in 2001 at age 84. The Dalai Lama charges the deceased monk’s devoted disciple, Tenzin Zopa (who had been in his service since the age of seven), to search for his master’s reincarnation. Tenzin sets off on this unforgettable quest on foot, mule and even helicopter, through breathtaking landscapes and remote traditional Tibetan villages.

This is a film about four friends in Dharamsala, the exile seat of Tibetans, their dreams and aspirations. Nyima, the lead character of the film is a die hard fan of the Hollywood icon, Richard Gere and wanted to follow his footsteps to do something meaningful for his country, Tibet. The film can be classified under romantic comedy – where two of the friends ultimately falling in love with the same lady and the story unfold. Suitable doses of Exile politics and the Buddhism philosophy of life adds new layer to the film.

At the edge of the Millennium, The Dalai Lama of Tibet invited 40 of the West‘s leading, most innovative thinkers in their respective fields to his residence tucked away in the Himalayan mountains of Northern India to discuss the world‘s problems and how we can solve them. What transpired was unexpected and powerful, and was captured by an 18 person, 5 camera film crew.

Tibet in March 2008. The biggest uprising since China took control in 1959 sweeps through the country. Meanwhile, Tibetans in exile march on their homeland, determined to support their countrymen. This is a year of dramatic possibilities for Tibet. For more than 20 years, the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual and political leader, has pursued his Middle Way Approach: giving up the goal of Tibet’s independence in return for genuine autonomy. But China has consistently rejected his proposal. Now, more and more Tibetans are questioning his strategy.