As the world meets in Sydney will it remember Tibet?

I was so inspired by the plight of Tibet and the Tibetans and a burning desire to spread the message of Tibet in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics, that I decided to embark on making a feature length documentary about the issue in November last year. The self-funded documentary, scheduled for release in early 2008, highlights the last remaining non-violent freedom struggle in the world today.

The aim of this documentary is to help spread the message of Tibet which is also a metaphor for everywhere that exploitation of the environment, human rights abuses and destruction of indigenous culture is occurring. The story also highlights the debate between the Dalai Lama’s Middle Way Approach and the growing frustration by many Tibetans in exile who are calling for independence and explores whether there is hope for Tibet.

Post production has now commenced with a 10-minute splice due to be finished at the end of September. I am now on the lookout for people interested in funding the next stage of the project by becoming Executive Producers. Scheduled for release early in 2008, the documentary includes interview footage with the Dalai Lama, Tibetan activist and poet Tenzin Tsundue and outspoken advocate for Independence, Lhasang Tsering who broke his three-year media silence to talk with me.

There are interviews with a 78-year-old woman imprisoned for 27 years and monks and nuns tortured and imprisoned in Tibet and now living in exile in India. It has been filmed in India, Tibet, China and Australia. Another trip to India is planned for November this year to gather more footage and interviews with Tibetans in exile. It is intended that the documentary will have extensive international distribution through DVD, international film festivals and international broadcasters.