Join us for the screening of award-winning film Tharlo, a Tibetan comedy-drama written and directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker, Pema Tseden, who tragically passed away on May 8th, 2023.
- Wednesday, July 29, 2026
- 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
- Century Cinemas 3141 Kent Street WestKawartha Lakes, ON, K9V 2Y5Canada (map)
FILM SUMMARY
Tharlo is an orphan. Now grown up, he makes a living as a sheep herder in the village. He has grown a ponytail, so people simply call him "Ponytail", since nobody remembers his real name anyway. Tharlo has a remarkable memory. He remembers so many things, except his own name. He is now in his forties, and he has yet to have his first woman. Now Tharlo goes to town to take a photo for his identity card. He meets a girl in the barber's shop who changes the course of his life. He embarks on the journey to find his true self. He sells all his sheep and those entrusted by other villagers to him for care, and decides to use the money to go out into the world with the girl, only to find himself being deceived and cheated by her. Ironically, in his journey of self-discovery, Tharlo has lost his sense of self. As he witnesses in the mirror his ponytail being cut off and leaving him bald, he can no longer see himself as a man with a history that he recognizes. — IMDB
Tharlo is an orphan. Now grown up, he makes a living as a sheep herder in the village. He has grown a ponytail, so people simply call him "Ponytail", since nobody remembers his real name anyway. Tharlo has a remarkable memory. He remembers so many things, except his own name. He is now in his forties, and he has yet to have his first woman. Now Tharlo goes to town to take a photo for his identity card. He meets a girl in the barber's shop who changes the course of his life. He embarks on the journey to find his true self. He sells all his sheep and those entrusted by other villagers to him for care, and decides to use the money to go out into the world with the girl, only to find himself being deceived and cheated by her. Ironically, in his journey of self-discovery, Tharlo has lost his sense of self. As he witnesses in the mirror his ponytail being cut off and leaving him bald, he can no longer see himself as a man with a history that he recognizes. — IMDB
FILMMAKER BIOGRAPHY
Pema Tseden (1969-2023) was a prolific writer and critically acclaimed filmmaker from Tibet. With his extraordinary vision, prodigious energy and his astonishing heart, Pema won countless awards and admirers, and created one of the greatest storytelling legacies in Tibetan history. He was born in Amdo to a pastoralist family and worked as a primary school teacher and civil servant while writing and publishing in Tibetan and Chinese. Pema was the first Tibetan to attend the Beijing Film Academy and in 2005 his first feature length film, Silent Holy Stones, won the prestigious Golden Rooster award for Best Directorial Début. Since then, his many films, including Tharlo (2015), Jinpa (2018) and Balloon (2019), all have been awarded prestigious prizes and accolades from at prominent film festivals around the world.
Wednesday July 29, 2026
ADMISSION
Admission is free. Donations welcome.
To host a Machik Film Screening of Tharlo in your community, contact [email protected]
Pema Tseden (1969-2023) was a prolific writer and critically acclaimed filmmaker from Tibet. With his extraordinary vision, prodigious energy and his astonishing heart, Pema won countless awards and admirers, and created one of the greatest storytelling legacies in Tibetan history. He was born in Amdo to a pastoralist family and worked as a primary school teacher and civil servant while writing and publishing in Tibetan and Chinese. Pema was the first Tibetan to attend the Beijing Film Academy and in 2005 his first feature length film, Silent Holy Stones, won the prestigious Golden Rooster award for Best Directorial Début. Since then, his many films, including Tharlo (2015), Jinpa (2018) and Balloon (2019), all have been awarded prestigious prizes and accolades from at prominent film festivals around the world.
Wednesday July 29, 2026
- 6:00pm – Doors Open
- 6:30pm – Screening Begins
- 8:30pm - Question & Answers
- 9:00pm - End
ADMISSION
Admission is free. Donations welcome.
To host a Machik Film Screening of Tharlo in your community, contact [email protected]
REVIEWS
Observer wrote “A rich allegory for a nation torn between past and future.”
New City shared “The lovely, loving craft extends to gentle, haunting sound design: these worlds are both concrete and dreamy in Tseden's eye, geometrically exquisite yet filled with implications of wandering and wonder.”
Total Film called it [a] “warm, wise fable of uncertainty.”
Observer wrote “A rich allegory for a nation torn between past and future.”
New City shared “The lovely, loving craft extends to gentle, haunting sound design: these worlds are both concrete and dreamy in Tseden's eye, geometrically exquisite yet filled with implications of wandering and wonder.”
Total Film called it [a] “warm, wise fable of uncertainty.”
