Abstract:

Kalsang Dolma, a young Tibetan refugee in Quebec, crosses the Himalayas. Into the largest prison in the world, she carries a video message recorded by the Dalai Lama. Since 1950, Tibetans inside the country have been hoping that China will allow him to return. Families gather around the tiny screen, transfixed, and for the first time, the voices of this fragile people under the yoke of suffering reach us from across the distance.

Shot between 1996 and 2004 without the knowledge of the Chinese authorities, using small digital cameras, "What Remains Of Us" takes viewers to the heart of the tragedy that has consumed Tibetan society for over half a century. The film tackles the crucial issue of individual and collective responsibility towards three generations of Tibetans who, despite the disappearance of 1.2 million of their fellow citizens, have always refused to yield to violence.