Abstract:

A polemic posing as a documentary, but an effective one nevertheless, filmmaker Tom Peosay's "Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion" offers a compelling account of the 1949 Chinese takeover of the beautiful Himalayan land, as well as a cogent overview of the international movement to raise awareness of the Tibetan people's plight. The emphasis here is on the religious tradition of Tibetan Buddhism (though the particulars of the faith are only briefly sketched), with moving testimony from those brutalized by the communist occupiers -- mostly monks, but also a British broadcaster who happened to be in the employ of the government at the time of the invasion. Of course, the central figure of the resistance is the Dalai Lama, whose escape from the country and crusade against Chinese efforts to destroy Tibetan culture through mass immigration are treated extensively. While there are occasional rejoinders from government spokesmen, all are made to look ridiculous by contrast, and the chilling argument that the Beijing regime aims to eradicate Tibet's special chracter, particularly its religious heritage, is made persuasively here. Narrated by Martin Sheen, "Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion" effectively limns a troubling historical chapter, while also stirring up a sense of outrage in compassionate viewers.