Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion

From this poignant film, we learn how Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger and their corporate socialist sponsors betrayed the Tibetan people's struggle for freedom. But how could it be otherwise, as Tibetan culture represents the opposite of the Hegelian mind control and conformity that has seized our planet. As the journalist Jon Rappoport has written, 'The one society on planet Earth which has made a monumental effort to throw off this level of programming is TIBET. It is no accident that China, which has adopted a philosophy of Materialism, has striven to erase Tibet from the landscape and the memory of the human race'.

But even more poignant are the Tibetan holocaust deniers on this board. And to think that I once thought all holocaust deniers lived in Germany and Japan! The Tibetan holocaust deniers need to understand that not only the Tibetans are suffering from the Communist government of China, but the Chinese people themselves. The eighty million Chinese who died under the Communists is no less tragic than 1.2 million Tibetans who died. And whatever America or any other country did in the past doesn't justify what's happening now. Two wrongs don't make a right----only a greater wrong.

And the film doesn't describe a 'Chinese' problem, but a human problem that concerns us all, regardless of our age, ethnic origin, gender or faith. This is not a 'Hate China' film or white racialist propaganda of any kind, as some reviewers would have you believe. In fact, it's very sympathetic to the plight of the Chinese, who are just as trapped as the Tibetans.

See this film.

This film was incredible!!! A must see!! A modern day tale of torture, conquest, rape... Chinese army does to the Tibetens what the Nazis did to the Jews... If you can't beat them, then try to exterminate them.... And it is going on TODAY!!!! You have to see this one... and then tell your Friends about it...

I have lived in China for four years now. I see first hand how the Chinese government blocks information about Tibet. Not just Tibet but any other news they don't want people to see, they will block it. Many people in China would not agree with this movie because they have been taught differently. Text books here are completely wrong. I also see how minority groups (Tibetan, Naxi, Mongol and so on) are treated as second class citizens. The only time they are not treated this way is when the Chinese (Han) can make money off them through tourism. People belonging to minority groups are restricted in travel (not able to hold a passport and only allowed to go to certain areas) so that their horror stories can be contained. In the far west of China, there have been bus bombings and demonstrations for independence but news of this is hard to get out because cameras and videos are confiscated. It is not even reported on local news.

This is a great movie and long live the Dalai Lama.

Simultaneously my favourite and least favourite televisual experience. This is an incredible collection of film and recollections from people live in Heaven and who have been through hell. Watching this will affect you. It's long, but captivating and it's telling what may well end up being be the most important story of this century.

Some scenes are disturbing but necessary, and balanced with scenes of the beautiful side of the country and society.

If you thought what happened to the Native Americans or slaves or victims of the Natzi or Stalin regeims was bad, learn about how Chinese soldiers treat Tibetan Buddhist monks (men, women and children) and how the Buddhist focus on compassion keeps the population alive in the face of decades of abuse and oppression.

Chinese officials put their point of view: you can understand both, but the Chinese speak with belief, the Tibetans with Understanding. Ironically, the Chinese act in a 'religious' way (think Crusades) as they stamp out the 'religion' and culture of the last place on the planet with an autonomous culture that is no threat to the planet or any other culture.

Buddhists attain non-violence by education. China thinks it is modern, but like a school-yard bully it doesn't understand how desperately it needs education. After seeing this you'll want to help China learn how to be open, so that it understands how incredibly wrong it is about Tibet (and how it treats its own people).

If you have relations in China - find a way to help them see this. Help them learn and spread the word. Educate.

One reviewer from Canada points out the "spiritual bias" in this documentary but that should surprise no one. True, the platform of the film is pro-Dalai Lama and anti-PRC in perspective but I did not share the impression that pre-invasion Tibet was ever portrayed as a paradise. The fact is, in spite of the silly protestations of another reviewer who, in badly written English, chimes that no government has recognized Tibet, which smacks of a sneaky PRC propaganda insertion. But, let's not lose sight of the film while we're sounding our favorite political war drum. If you want serious ethnography, read Mel Goldstein's books and if you want a snapshot view of the plight of Tibet and the netherworld into which Tibetan ex-pats have been shoved, this is the one. Maybe I'm getting senile but I labored under no impression that this documentation of the Chinese invasion and occupation of a region wherein lived people of a distinctive language and culture would be wholly objective or dispassionate in scope. My treat was seeing some marvelous footage of some of the most barren places on the planet and some pictures of what has been going on. Like any other viewer, I did not enjoy the graphic depiction of abuse and torture but, in my view, it needed to be shown.

As one who loves to read the reviews as much as seeing the film, I must observe that most were impressed by what they saw. One could go on and on about the politics of it all, but from the standpoint of art, I think this little film was a winner. See it for yourself and decide.