Tibet Film ‘Passport Photos’ Bags Official Selection in Eight International Film Festivals

Produced by Black Coffee Productions and Think Tibet productions ‘Passport Photos’ is a 15- minute documentary film that features a collection of conversations with young, suave and urban Tibetans with a shared name ‘Tenzin’. The film recognizes them by the prefix ‘Tenzin’.  Set against the image backdrop of the Tibetan passport of Tsepon Wangchuk Deden Shakabpa which was discovered in Nepal in 2003, those involved, all Tenzins, engage in a friendly banter about their lives, aspirations, dreams and essentially, their experiences as an exile born and bred refugee.

The film ‘Passport Photos’ competed against 300 other short documentary films to avail its exclusive screenings at the International Film Festivals. Having completed its post-production work in 2010, the film was first premiered at the IBN Arabi Film Festival in Murcia, Spain on January 31, 2011. Following the rave reviews and critics’ thumps-up for this niche film, it was screened at seven other 2011 International Film Festivals; Vientianale International Film Festival, Laos, Dawson City International short Film Festival, Canada, MCM International Short Film Festival, Netherland, Outbox International Short Film Festival, Lebanon, Kimera International Film Festival, Italy, Australian Refugee Film Festival, Australia and I’ve seen Films International Film Festival, Italy.

The film explains through the prism of short interviews, that there is a generation of Tibetans raised in exile who have been given the name ‘Tenzin’ by the Dalai Lama; however the non-Tibetans often fail to see that ‘Tenzin’ is part of a name and that it’s only part of a story.

An online viewing of the film can be made available upon receiving an email request. Send your request to info@thinktibet.org

passport photos premiered at the Ibn Arabi Film Festival in Murcia, Spain on the 31st Of January 2011.

Camera, Editing, Music                                                                    Directed by

Preetam Koilpillai                                                         Preetam Koilipillai in collaboration with

Jangchup and Lobsang

Produced by

Venkatesh Narayanaswamy

OFFICIAL SELECTION

BLACK COFFEE PRODUCTION AND THINK TIBET PRODUCTION

Bangalore savours the flavours of Tibet

BANGALORE, Dec 7: The residents of Bangalore savoured the flavours of Tibet during a Tibetan food festival that was held in the city on Saturday. Hosted by Think Tibet and co-ordinated by the Ants Store, which is a platform for Tibetans and Indians to work together to contribute to the community in exile, it had chef and restaurateur Amdo Tsering cook up a staggering 50 dishes. “His Holiness the Dalai Lama says that every Tibetan must contribute to the cause in his own way and my contribution is through food. I wanted to demonstrate that Tibetan food is unique, and different from that of Chinese or Nepali food,” said Amdo Tsering, who runs a popular Tibetan restaurant in Bangalore’s Austin Town. Close to a 100 guests were treated to an array of traditional Tibetan dishes at the Ants Store, which was the venue for the evening. The terrace café of Ants Store, which sells handicrafts and products from North-East India, was transformed to accommodate the elaborate buffet. The evening began with some wonderful Tibetan music by Tenzin Dawa, a young college student, followed by hot cups of Amcha (tea made in Amdo region of Tibet) and herbal tea. Amdo Tsering cooked up a menu that included favourites like Momo and noodles and a host of other dishes like Gunkha, Sha Baley, Amdo Baley, Shatakma, Phingsha, Bhaktsa Martsu, Tsampa, Tingmo and Amthuk. On display for sampling were more unusual dishes like Yakra, Lolo, Knanyok, Youse, Shim and the piece de resistance – Tsampa Cake. The guests, who included several Indians and foreigners besides Tibetans, enjoyed the spread that was laid out before them. For some, it was an experience that brought them closer to their Tibetan roots, or rather palate.

FOOD FESTIVAL AT ANTS CAFE

“This is a great event especially for those of us Tibetans who don't know all these recipes,” Deki, a young Tibetan mother, said. She had brought a group of family and friends and was especially happy to showcase Tibetan cuisine to them.

Vimala, another guest, was surprised to see so many non-Tibetans enjoying the new cuisine. Her favourite was the Bhaktsa Martsu, she said.The other projects that Think Tibet, which coordinated the food festival, is working on include book publishing, theatre and film, besides organising events like film screenings, art exhibitions and lectures.

EARTHQUAKE

Many of the members, emailed and messaged us with their prayers and condolences with eagerness to support and help in various capacities due to which we start a cause to invite our member to donate for this cause.

The LLHHDL team are happy and thank every one of our member for making a $1,000 donation to the people of Kyegudo. We hope that our donation have helped them with tents, clothing and food. We have made this donation towards Kyegudo by directing our donation to Tibetan Village Project, an NGO working for the improvement of live of the people in the remote country side of the Tibet.

Click HERE to visit the cause.

screenshot of the cause that we have achieved.

The Long Live His Holiness the Dalai Lama group initiate an online cause to generate donations to the much needed people of Haiti where mass destructions to live and live stocks are being witnessed on january 12, 2010. The LLHHDL social website and group in facebook.com started events to mobilized global prayers and condolences through its worldwide members.

The LLHHDL team are happy to inform their members that our prayers and condolences have surely helped and made a good merits in recovery and improvements to the people of Haiti.

The LLHHDL team also thank each one of our members and friends who donated towards this much needed cause and made a total sum of $ 1,012 donations to the victims of the Haiti earthquake. All the donations are being directed to this cause through

Oxfam America, a global organization working towards global cause and issues.

Once again thank you all for such a cooperation and support that gives us a true feeling that we are walking on the path of a great teaching which remind us of GIVING and HELPING to people in need.

Click HERE to visit.