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July 17, 2015
Kaoru Iketani's Documentary 'RUMTA' Set in Tibet | MOVIE
MOVIE | Exploring the Tibetan Spirit Through the "Nonviolent Struggle"
The Documentary "Lungta" by Director Kaoru Iketani
This documentary, "Lungta," by director Kaoru Iketani, reflects the current situation in Tibet and captures the Tibetan people's ongoing nonviolent struggle against the oppressive Chinese government. It opens on Saturday, July 18th, at Shibuya Theater Image Forum, with subsequent screenings nationwide.
Text by YANAKA Tomomi
Kazuhiro Nakahara, "The Architect of the Dalai Lama," Serves as a Guide
Tibet, where many residents continue to face hardship under Chinese oppression. Along with the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, many Tibetans have been forced to flee their homeland and seek refuge in India, Nepal, and other countries.
While adhering to the Buddhist teaching of "not causing harm to others," self-immolation protests, known as "burning protests," continue as a form of resistance against this oppression.
Director Kaoru Iketani, known for documentaries such as "Daughter of Shanghai" (2002) and "Ant Soldiers" (2005), has captured the current state of Tibet in this film. With Kazuhiro Nakahara, an architect who has lived in Dharamshala, a town in northern India, for 30 years and supports displaced Tibetans as an NGO representative, serving as his guide, Iketani embarks on a journey to explore the Tibetan spirit.
Touching the Passionate Hearts of the Indomitable Tibetan People
Dharamshala, a town in northern India, is home to the Tibetan provisional government. Here, Kazuhiro Nakahara, an architect residing in Dharamshala and an NGO representative, known as "The Architect of the Dalai Lama," has been consistently communicating about the "burning protests," which receive little coverage in Japanese media, and the spirit of the Tibetan people through his blog.
With Nakahara as his guide, Iketani captures the voices of the Tibetan people, who possess an indomitable spirit: a young monk who staged a desperate protest in front of foreign media, an elderly man who steadfastly upholds Buddhist teachings despite prolonged imprisonment, and a former nun who endured severe torture. Their passionate sentiments are etched into the film.
"Lungta," which means "wind horse" in Tibetan, is believed to gallop across the sky, carrying the wishes of the people to the Buddhas and deities. Through the proud message of the Tibetan people, conveyed through their nonviolent struggle rather than resorting to violence, we come to understand what is happening in Tibet today.
Lungta
Opens Saturday, July 18th, at Shibuya Theater Image Forum
Director | Kaoru Iketani
Starring | Kazuhiro Nakahara
Distribution | Ren Universe
2015 / Japan / 111 min
http://lung-ta.net
© Ren Universe 2015