Dreaming Lhasa (2007)

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

The acting in this movie is really good.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

a movie like a song. about mixture of present and past. about exile and images from motherland. about roots and duties. about love, search of sense, people and their chain of shadows, about truth and its price. a story about Tibet but in special manner. not exactly a manifesto or new pledge against Chinese occupation. only definition of pain out freedom. the message is universal. and the delicate science to present a trip, gestures, words, meetings of two people - a woman from USA, a man from Tibet, each in space of Dharamsala, each piece of a way, each master of many questions , profound desires, and fundamental revelation. the virtue of film - courage of good measure. gentle form of tale. and art to be far from any exaggeration. a film like a song. Tibetan song. with so many nuances!

In "Dreaming Lhasa," a young American filmmaker goes to India to make a documentary on the Tibetan monks who have been living in exile in that country ever since the Chinese invaded their nation and overthrew the Dalai Lama nearly sixty years ago. A Tibetan native herself, Kharma temporarily puts her film on hold so that she can help one of the refugees in the area locate the whereabouts of another monk who disappeared during a protest rally in 1987.Though "Dreaming Lhasa" feels only half-formed at times in terms of storytelling and characterization, the unhurried, contemplative rhythm of the film nicely captures the flavor of the setting and the nature of the theme. While Tenzin Chokyi Gyatso occasionally lacks projection and confidence as an actress (though at times she is very good), Jampa Kalsang, the actor playing the monk, centers the movie with his quiet stoicism and gravity.This heartrending subject could probably do with a more passionate treatment, but the quiet serenity of "Dreaming Lhasa" is not without its special rewards as well.

and the circumstances are: all actors are non-professional; the related topic and political message; and thus the financing; thus the persistence it was required in waiting for this film to get made; and the great possibility that it will not find a general audience.yet the trend in many of the recent risky films (from what I have been seeing) is that the narrative is merging the fictional with non-fictional. This film also intertwine interviews, a basically true story, locals, with a derivative plot. And the ending somewhat caught me by surprise. Not that the plot is complex. But the film pull in so far with it's rhythms that is (pardon the expression) oozing tranquility and the easy nature that seems to be Tibetan.*** possible spoilers***** in the time I saw this film was in the Toronto film fest, where previously I saw 2 other similar films : Broklyn Lobsters and Sunflower. However, those in comparison are heavy handed, straight forward and although realistic, lacks some kind of sincerity. These 2 films although personal, to me, chronicles and places the feeling instead of pauses and meander on an emotion, an uncertain feeling for that matter, needs an uncertain moment.

I saw this film at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. Resonating soundtracks, beautiful cinematography and original story brought alive a story of two lost souls struggling to find the past/truth that they fear to uncover. The directors picked an interesting angle to look at how the Tibetan exile community continues to fight for their land and at the same time deals with the temptations from the "outside" world. Shot along very scenery Tibet-India border, the setting alone was worth to watch.On the down side, unfortunately the leading actress still has a long way to go before reaching the same performance level as the rest of key cast members. Also the pacing was great at the beginning, but somehow went flat towards the end.Great job for a low-budget film.