The Nightingale of Tibet

This movie tells a layered story. It's about Drapchi, a prison in Lhasa (Tibet) that symbolizes control and fear. It's about the survival of Tibetan culture and Tibetan opera. It's about personal struggle in different forms. Tibetan opera combined with a touch of western rock music guides you through the amazing landscapes of Tibet while the opera singer Yiga crosses the mountains. Yiga wants to sing, she doesn't want to undergo the cultural make over forced on her and the other people of Tibet.

This movie was directed by Arvind Iyer with great respect for the Tibetan culture and music. This movie doesn't just tell us about an opera singer fighting for her music, it shows us the Tibetan way of looking at life, suffering, freedom and compassion. Interesting for people that are more or less informed about Tibet.

I happened to read more about this film on Wikipedia & the film festivals it has travelled to. Watched it. Incredibly understated presentation of an extremely powerful story. This one is very European and in my opinion, it has been treated softly-deliberately by the filmmakers. Unless you watch this film at least 2 times, you won't get it. Very spiritual, healing and yet gut wrenching. The actors are not performing, they are just being themselves which gives that cinematic yet amateur feel. Excellent Sound, Direction, Cinematography ***** and Performances. The editing could have been better but that is a "cliché" which can be passed. The film overall lives and lingers and that is all that matter. The singer-What a voice-Take a Bow.

She grows on you,Worth a couple of watches alone .It is serious stuff.