Remembering Pema Tseden: Prominent Tibetan Filmmaker and Writer Passes Away at 53

Acclaimed Tibetan director Pema Tseden passed away unexpectedly on May 8, 2023, at the age of 53. Known in China by his Tibetan name པད་མ་ཚེ་བརྟན།, and by his Chinese name Wanma Caidan (万玛才旦), he is considered one of the most prominent Tibetan filmmakers who amplified modern Tibetan culture and society. inside and outside of China. He garnered numerous awards for his film and literary work. This video from the South China Morning Post pays tribute to Tseden’s work:

Pema Tseden was born into a traditional Tibetan family from the Qinghai province chinawhich is part of the historical region of tibet. He studied Tibetan literature and was a teacher before entering the Beijing Film Academywhere was he first tibetan student.

His films are entirely in Tibetan and often portray the lives of Tibetans living in Chinese society. She debuted in 2011 with her movie «Old Dog«, which evokes the fashion of the tibetan mastiffsvery popular with Chinese buyers in the late 2000s and early 2010s, some dogs were sold for almost three million dollars. The film can be accessed here:

Some of his films are also adaptations of his fictional writings, such as his masterpiece «Tharlo“, about a Tibetan who goes to the city to obtain his Chinese identity card and discovers unknown and largely incomprehensible codes of Chinese urban society. The film premiered in 2015 at the venice festival and was shot in black and white. Here is an excerpt from “Tharlo”:

In 2019, Pema Tseden released “Balloon”, which talks about birth control, a policy imposed by Beijing in the context of traditional Tibetan society, and the emancipation of Tibetan women, as can be seen here:

tibet was a De facto independent state from 1912 to 1950. In 1950, an armed invasion by China brought it under the control of Beijing. Today, Tibetan culture is severely censored in China and is subject to regular attacks by local authorities, especially due to the prominence of the Dalai Lama as a world figure who claims autonomy for Tibet and demands that China respect human, cultural and religious rights. Pema Tseden he was arrested in 2016 and was unable to access medical treatment despite his diabetes.

As the International Campaign for Tibet:

At the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council currently underway in Geneva, the International Campaign for Tibet has once again called for an end to the mass forced resettlement of Tibetan nomads and herders and to the boarding school system for Tibetan children. Both are cornerstones of the Chinese government’s policy of assimilation of the Tibetan people.

At the LII session of the United Nations Human Rights Council being held in Geneva, the International Campaign for Tibet has once again called for an end to the massive forced resettlement of Tibetan nomads and herders and to the system of boarding schools for Tibetan children. Both are cornerstones of the Chinese government’s policy of assimilation of the Tibetan people.

As already mentioned, Pema Tseden was also a short story writer. Some are available at english and french. With his death, Tibetan culture has lost a voice that spoke with great humanity through images and words about the challenges and difficulties of being a Tibetan in 21st century China.

This tweet shows the popularity of Pema Tseden and how her memory is appreciated in the Tibetan community:

Tibetans in Tibet Mourn Loss Of Pioneer Film Director #PemaTseden the.

On 10th early morning, thousands of people gathered at Bhakor in Lhasa joined #PemaTseden for his final circumambulation.

May His Soul Rest in Peace!

Photos | Tsering Kyi pic.twitter.com/uTACz3A3rC

— Lobsang བློ་བཟང་དགེ་ལེགས། (@logyal143) May 10, 2023

Tibetans in Tibet mourn the loss of pioneering film director Pema Tseden.

Early on the 10th morning, thousands of people gathered at Bhakor in Lhasa joined Pema Tseden for her final journey.

May his soul rest in peace!

Photos | Tsering Kyi