20th August, Sonipat: Independent filmmakers and artists Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, masterminds of the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) joined the students and faculty of O.P Jindal Global University on 17th August 2023, at the Performing Arts Auditorium.
Tibet in Film was the focus of the event organized by the Jindal School of Journalism and Communication (JSJC) and included back-to-back screenings of Sarin and Sonam’s films ‘The Sun Behind the Clouds’ and ‘The Sweet Requiem’. The films laid the groundwork for the thought-provoking discussion that followed.
“Independent filmmakers like them [Sarin and Sonam] offer a vital portal into the struggle against authoritarian regimes. I’m privileged to be able to travel that portal today,” said Prof. Kishalay Bhattacharjee, Professor, and Dean, JSJC, welcoming the filmmakers to the event.
Associate professor Dr. Swati Chawla who teaches courses on Tibetans in India, migration and citizenship, research methods, and digital humanities introduced the first film screening of the event ‘The Sun Behind the Clouds’, a 2010 documentary that tells the story of Tibet’s struggle for freedom and sheds light on the complex socio-political landscape.
The second film screening, thematically like the first film, ‘The Sweet Requiem’ was introduced by independent film critic and Professor of Practice, Prof. Trisha Gupta. The 2018 fiction film set in Delhi, chronicles the life of a Tibetan refugee in India who is met with the memories of her suppressed past and family when she reunites with the guide who abandoned her during her treacherous trek across the Himalayas.
After High Tea, Professor Gupta engaged in a lively discussion with Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam. The auditorium was packed with students and members of the faculty who were eager to know the challenges of telling journalistic stories, the complexities of their film process, maintaining the balance between unbiased storytelling and topics of personal interest and emotion, and more. Tibetan narratives lingered in the air while the two filmmakers answered questions from the student community and faculty members. They shared their personal experiences during filming, how they got involved in filmmaking and organizing the DIFF, the current affairs in Tibet, technological advancements in film, and their process of editing.
“Especially when you’re filming very sensitive subjects and dealing with people who have undergone a lot of trauma that you are trying to explore in your film, you have to be really sensitive and I think the way you approach situations like that is by being completely honest with yourself that you're doing it for the right reasons and in empathy with their suffering and story and that you are not trying to exploit their situation. It’s a tricky line for filmmakers to navigate,” said Tenzing Sonam when he was asked where they draw the line when writing stories about vulnerable individuals.
Tenzing Sonam and Ritu Sarin’s words left a mark on the audience, making them appreciate the power of cinema as a tool of change and resistance. The potential of storytelling and the use of cinema as a medium for propagating social change was realized by many that evening. Through their excellent films for social change and gripping anecdotes, Sonam and Sarin’s visit paved the way for aspiring filmmakers and storytellers of JGU.