Tibetan Refugee
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: B- Main Program: B-
We hear so much about the Dalai Lama, as well as religious
oppression by the Chinese in Tibet because the last major Communist superpower
holdout is so threatened by the world religion of Buddhism. Tibetan Refugee (2004) runs only an
hour, but is a rich record of these beautiful, sincere people who have been
driven to a section of India to continue their way of life, traditions and
faith. The extent of how serious this
is has never been seen like this until now.
Over 4,000 people a year risk their lives to be able to
continue living their life the way they want to, but there fortunately is this
sparse sanctuary on the other side of all those mountains. The documentary works as a record of crimes
against a people, as well as a plea for much-needed help from wherever it can
be found. It is a fair and
non-exploitive appeal. Though the Dalai
Lama is not present much, that is not the point here. These people are keeping alive a culture and religion a
government has seen fit to kill off, though they would never admit it.
Watching, it just continues to amaze me that the world
allows for such things to this day, and to say that there is not some specter
of genocide against these people is not stretching the truth in any way. Anyone who is forced to go through these
circumstances to do what they want to do and be who they are is not having it
easy and those who arrogantly shrug off their plight as “well that’s what they
want to do, so that’s what they have to go through” is part of the complacency
and problem. They would not say that if
it was something they wanted to do under the same circumstances, but some
people are just very ungrateful for the lives they have and these people are
not. That is undeniable to anyone who
is capable of caring about anything.
The full frame videotape image looks to have been shot in
the NTSC format, and is clean for so much location work. This includes some obvious video editing,
sketches that bookend the final work, and burnt-in subtitles where
applicable. The Dolby Digital 5.1 is
spreading around what was simple stereo at best, but is also clean and clear
for a recent recording. This helps best
when the Nechung Monks perform their sacred traditional music. A two-part segment of a head Oracle
discussing the religion and refugees, followed by the full-length version of a
prayer session featuring the monks doing their music is included. All this makes Tibetan Refugee an
experience like no other that is worth your time.
- Nicholas Sheffo
