Fire Under the Snow
2007, 58 minutes
Directed by Makoto Sasa
Fire Under the Snow will have its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival (April 23–May 4, 2008).
About the Film
Fire Under the Snow is the dramatic story of Palden Gyatso, a Tibetan Buddhist monk since childhood, who was arrested by the Chinese Communist Army in 1959. He spent the next thirty-three years in prison for the “crimes” of demonstrating peacefully and refusing to falsely denounce his teacher as an Indian spy. He was humiliated, tortured, starved, and forced to perform hard labor. He watched his nation and culture destroyed and his teachers, friends, and family displaced, jailed, or killed by the Chinese occupiers. Fire Under the Snow reveals the contours of a stunningly dramatic and inspirational story: the survival of a mind and a soul under unthinkable duress.
What You Can Do to Help
The filmmakers of Fire Under the Snow are in the process of raising money for finishing funds. If you’re interested in making a tax deductible donation, please click here.
Praise for Fire Under the Snow
“Palden Gyatso’s testimony is one of the most extraordinary stories of suffering and endurance. His story is an inspiration to us all.”—His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
“Audiences will find solace and inspiration in Palden’s refusal to let his spirit be crushed, and in the fact that he retains the ability to genuinely smile in the face of his experiences.”—Dr. Robert Thurman, Director of Tibet House
Click here to read an interview with Makoto Sasa, Director of Fire Under the Snow
