Tibetan cinema world mourns loss of groundbreaking filmmaker Pema Tseden
- The award-winning director, who died aged 53 last week, was regarded as a pioneer of the Tibetan New Wave who offered a glimpse into local life and culture
- Pema Tseden helped to pave the way for the next generation of filmmakers and was hailed as ‘a beacon of hope and resilience for all Tibetans’
The Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden, who saw it as his mission to tell people’s stories in their own voices, died last Monday at the age of 53.
The China Academy of Art, where he was a professor, said in a statement that he died due to a sudden illness.
The director, widely regarded as the pioneer of the Tibetan New Wave, is remembered by many for having achieved the impossible in telling Tibetan stories that were well-received by audiences inside and outside China.
His award-winning feature films – including Tharlo, Jinpa and Balloon – were acclaimed for offering a glimpse into local culture, religion, tradition and modernity through the lens of local people.
Filmmakers face numerous challenges when trying to tell the stories of China’s ethnic minorities, ranging from the dominance of Han Chinese cinema to the country’s censors, who impose extra scrutiny on content concerning Tibetan culture.
