Q: In 1987, Gyatso was electrocuted by a cattle prod. In the film, the narrator mentions that at that same time, she was just a school girl with ordinary concerns. Explain the significance of the narrator’s comment.
A: I was born in Japan and was raised in a middle class family and was given what I was needed. I always daydreamed as a child. I always dreamed of meeting interesting people from all over the world. That dream led me to moving to New York. On the next level, I was always interested in Tibetan Buddhism … But when I worked on a documentary on Tibetan Buddhists—and saw their suffering—I started crying. It totally made sense. It dawned on me what Buddhism was truly about and how it appeals to me … I found a way to connect myself … giving up your ego, and surrendering to whatever surrounds you. From that moment I fell in love with Tibetan Buddhism and I always wanted to know more …
Q: What does “fire under the snow” mean?
A: The fire is the hunger or passion for getting independence. It can be interpreted many different ways. Their country [Tibet] is always associated with snow. His hunger, his passion, and love for his country. It’s a metaphor for who he is and the situation happening in Tibet …
Q: What are the particular challenges in making this film?
A: Editing, making the right structure. We struggled with how to tell the story simply because we had no footage from the prison years ... Financing is also hard. As an independent filmmaker, you always have to ask people for things. It’s all a learning experience. I nearly lost much of my footage at one point … But every time I have a challenge, I think of Palden!
Related Story: Climbing Blind in Tibet
PREVIOUS PAGE
