Tibetan documentary film receives rave review in Korea/ENG

2016. szeptember 1./Phayul.com/TibetPress

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By Tenzin Dharpo

DHARAMSHALA, Sept 1: The popular Tibetan documentary “Bringing Tibet Home” which was first released in 2013 is all set to be released anew in Korea where the film has managed to strike a chord with Korean masses, prompting the film to be released in more than 40 theatres across the capital Seoul and Busan city from today onwards.

The story documented real-life events of a Tibetan artist in 2013 who smuggled 20,000 kilos of native soil from Tibet to fulfill his father’s dying wish to go to Tibet a final time before he passed away. The film portrayed much of what Tibetan refugees yearning for home and received encouraging reviews in few parts of the world earlier. The film which premiered at Busan International Film Festival was in the past invited to Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels in Biarritz, France and the Brisbane International Film Festival.

The New York based Tibetan artist Tenzin Rigdol told Phayul that the film’s reception in Korea was spurn out of a “genuine connection” the Koreans felt for the story and the sentiments behind the real-life plot. “And I think the simple reason for that is, in Korea and in other cultures, I have noticed a strange custom wherein, the audience first watches the film and then they produce judgments. And they treated the film with utmost love and respect,” the Tibetan artist told Phayul.

“We did some special screenings for the journalists, film critics, Korean celebrities and Buddhist leaders of South Korea and our film received an outstanding support and review from audiences. All of the special screenings were packed and they were all very moved to know the current status of Tibet and want to know more about Tibet and her freedom. It was inspiring to see how a film or an art project touches the hearts of individuals across,” Rigdol further said.

The film’s Director Tenzin Tsetan Choklay who won the 2014 Prix du Jury des jeunes Européens at the 27th FIPA in France says, “In Korea every foreign movie gets a local title. I chose this title because it's close to our Tibetan title which is ‘Pha Sa Bhu Thug’. In Korean its 브링홈 아버지위땅 which means Bring Home Father's Land in literal translation” and not due to Chinese government pressure. “I think it's the first time a Tibetan exile film receives such a wide release not just in Korea but anywhere in the world,” Tsetan told Phayul.

The Korean version of the film titled simply “Bring Home” as opposed to the original title “Bringing Tibet Home” and is narrated by Korean actor Kim Min Jong and lauded by top rung of the Korean film fraternity like actor Bae Su Bin, Mun Suk and Director Yim Soon-rye. Actor Park Sung Woong mentioned, "After watching this film, it made me feel grateful to have my own country. I hope many people will go and watch this film".

A 287 page book authored by film Director Tenzin Tsetan and writer Jeewan Park, by the same name tells story of this film, history and state of Tibet, has also been released in Korea. The film will be screened in more than 40 theatres for the next few weeks in Korea.