A free screening of the film Tharlo by Pema Tseden, a prolific writer and pioneer filmmaker from Tibet, took place in Washington, DC on August 21, 2024. Pema Tseden left a unique mark on global cinema, and his legacy remains that of one of the greatest storytellers in Tibetan history.
On a beautiful summer evening, Washington, DC area friends gathered to view the iconic Tharlo (2015), a story of an iconic story about a shepherd who lives in the high desolate, windswept mountains of Tibet. He tends his sheep and rides his motorcycle, passing his days in familiar and traditional routines far from the city lights. But when Tharlo travels to the city for an ID card photo and meets Yangtso, an urban young hairdresser, his ascetic life will forever change.
It was truly an honor to have worked with Pema Tseden for almost 20 years. He was the first Machik Weekend keynote speaker from Tibet and lectured at Machik’s 2013 Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) in Amdo, Tibet. Born to a pastoralist family in Amdo, he later became a school teacher and civil servant while writing bilingually to critical acclaim.
In 2002, he became the first Tibetan to attend the Beijing Film Academy, and in 2005, his first feature-length film, Silent Holy Stones, won multiple awards, including the prestigious Golden Rooster award for Best Directorial Début. Since then, his Tibetan-language films have won many prestigious prizes globally.
On a beautiful summer evening, Washington, DC area friends gathered to view the iconic Tharlo (2015), a story of an iconic story about a shepherd who lives in the high desolate, windswept mountains of Tibet. He tends his sheep and rides his motorcycle, passing his days in familiar and traditional routines far from the city lights. But when Tharlo travels to the city for an ID card photo and meets Yangtso, an urban young hairdresser, his ascetic life will forever change.
It was truly an honor to have worked with Pema Tseden for almost 20 years. He was the first Machik Weekend keynote speaker from Tibet and lectured at Machik’s 2013 Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) in Amdo, Tibet. Born to a pastoralist family in Amdo, he later became a school teacher and civil servant while writing bilingually to critical acclaim.
In 2002, he became the first Tibetan to attend the Beijing Film Academy, and in 2005, his first feature-length film, Silent Holy Stones, won multiple awards, including the prestigious Golden Rooster award for Best Directorial Début. Since then, his Tibetan-language films have won many prestigious prizes globally.