A new documentary on a Tibetan woman premiered in Tokyo/ENG

2017. június 6./Phayul.com/TibetPress

eredeti cikk

A new documentary film The Diary of a Tibetan Woman about Lhamo Tso, the wife of imprisoned Tibetan filmmaker, was premiered in Tokyo yesterday.

“Tibetans are living all over the world. I’m glad to show the Tibetans' robust mind. I hope the audience can feel as though Tibetans are their close friends.” said Ms. Marie Ogawa, the film director.

Dhondup Wangchen was arrested by the Chinese government in 2008 for his documentary film Leaving Fear Behind, which consisted of interviews with ordinary Tibetans discussing the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was sentenced to six years in prison for ‘inciting separatism’ as his film, which was smuggled out, was screened throughout the world and was given ‘CPJ International Press Freedom Awards’ in 2009.

This new documentary traces Lhamo Tso’s life as a refugee from Dharmsala, the de-facto capital of exile Tibet in India to San Francisco with her children without her husband.

Along with the film screening in the Japanese capital city, Students for a Free Tibet-Japan conducted a stamp campaign for Dhondup Wangchen’s safe return to his family.

Regarding Ms. Ogawa’s film, Ichie Watanabe, a well-known Japanese columnist who often writes about Tibet, said, “It’s easy to criticize the Chinese government condescendingly, but Marie describes the delicate emotions of regular Tibetan people by standing close to them. This is the reason why this film is excellent.”

After his release from the prison, the Chinese government deprived Dhondup Wangchen of his political rights since 2014 which may be restored this year.