Journey From Zanskar

Year: 2009
Country: USA, CHINA
Run Time: 90 minutes

Zanskar is a place like no other in the world: it is home to the last remaining original Tibetan Buddhist society and it has existed unchanged for thousands of years. Part of what has kept the culture of Zanskar intact for so long is its geographic location as it is surrounded on all sides by some of the highest peaks of the Himalayas. Its remoteness has protected it from both outside influences and Chinese suppression… until now. Zanskar's status as a pure Tibetan cloister is threatened by a road that is being built from Padum to, well, the rest of the world. Upon instruction from the Dalai Lama himself, two Tibetan monks are now charged with the task of preserving the culture by building a school to educate the children of Zanskar about the ways of their culture. While finishing the school they must also relocate other local children to monasteries in the city of Manali –which requires walking over a 17,500 ft high pass. As the monks and 17 children make the harrowing trek through the mountains, the clock continues to tick down to the inevitable encroachment of outside culture that will be ushered in with the opening of the new road. With narration from Richard Gere, JOURNEY FROM ZANSKAR evokes great sympathy for the plight of this society and champions its unique culture. (In English, Hindi, and Tibetan with subtitles)

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