Cast Credits 

The Dalai Lama. 

Tendzin Choegyal: The Dalai Lama’s youngest brother. 

Rinchen Khando Choegyal: Former Minister of Education in the Exile Government and Director of The Tibetan Nuns Project. 

Lhasang Tsering: Former Principal of the Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV) and former Youth Congress Leader and freedom fighter. 

Loten Namling: Former TCV student, traditional musician and poet. 

Lhakdor: Buddhist monk and the Dalai Lama’s translator. 

Kelsang Wangdo: Buddhist nun originally from Germany. 

Tenzin Jangchup: Former TCV student. 

Lobsang Tenzin: Buddhist monk. 

Thupten Dorje: General Secretary of the the Tibetans Children’s Village 

Thupten Samphel: Spokesperson for the Tibetan Government in Exile

Film: The Tibetans. A Life in Exile

The Tibetans. A Life in Exile 

This film has been recently completed and aims to illuminate the impending crisis that faces Tibetans in exile as the modern world intrudes more and more. Prominent members of the exile community give their views on the current situation. Various aspects of exile life are examined including the monasteries and nunneries. The film shows how the modern world is effecting these institutions. Secular education is looked into and the history of the Tibetan Children’s Village is explained as well as how children are coping with prolonged life in exile. After leaving school young Tibetans have few opportunities. Some work in traditional crafts or in tourist related businesses and others inter-marry and move abroad. The effect of these trends on the community is explored. The leadership of the Dalai Lama is crucial to the continued survival of the culture and his important role as political and spiritual leader is clarified. His brother gives a personal view of the Dalai Lama’s influence and achievements.

Additional Cast Information 

Lhasang Tsering: Lhasang Tsering is the strongest and most passionate voice in the film. He has been dedicated to Tibetan freedom all his life. He is a former Tibetan resistance fighter and was the principal of The Tibetan Childrens Village as well as being the Youth Congress leader for some time. He has spoken out boldly about the need to maintain the goal of returning to a totally free and independent Tibet. He has openly criticised the Middle Way Policy which seeks a compromise with the Chinese. He continues to stress that time is running out for all Tibetans. In Tibet Tibetans are becoming a minority as more and more Chinese settle there. In exile he feels there is a lack of clear direction and purpose and that this is accelerating the disintegration and dispersal of the culture. He has now pulled back from public life as he feels his efforts to fight for a free Tibet have achieved very little. He lives for his children and his last wish is to die in Tibet.

Tendzin Choegyal: Tenzin Choegyal is the Dalai Lama’s youngest brother. He was brought up as a monk but at the age of 25 he left monastic life and became a lay person. He has worked for the Tibetan Government in Exile as a clerk, teacher, and soldier. He was also the Dalai Lama’s private secretary. In retirement he has rediscovered the deeper meaning of Buddhism and feels that the current monastic system is far from what it should be with some monks joining without having a true vocation. As Buddhism is such an integral part of Tibetan society he is concerned that the inappropriate behaviour by some monks is contributing the breakdown of the spiritual values and could have a serious effect on the reputation of the monastic system. He has a very sincere and honest approach to life and is not afraid to speak his mind on issues that are contentious. He has a sincerity and a clear vision about the whole Tibetan issue and a deep concern about the current situation.

Rinchen Khando Choegyal. Rinchen Khando Cheogyal was born in Tibet and she has lived in exile since the 1960’s and is the wife of Tendzin Choegyal. She has dedicated herself to the Tibetan cause and has travelled throughout the world, advocating the preservation of the Tibetan culture. She has helped exiled Tibetans by focusing on education, improving conditions for the elderly and the poor, and in the development of religious studies for women. While president of the The Tibetan Women's Association she founded the Tibetan Nuns Project which has built nunneries to provide education and take care of nuns who have escaped from Tibet. She also had two terms as the Minister of Education in the Exile Government. She is dedicated to giving practical help to the exile community and has a determination to do what she can in exile. 

Loten Namling: Loten Namling was born in India in the 1960’s after his parents escaped from Tibet. He was educated in the Tibetan Children's Village and at university in Delhi. As a child he was greatly influenced by traditional culture, especially music, and took up the Tibetan lute when he was fifteen. He is now a well known musician and poet who feels passionately about Tibetan culture. He believes he can help raise awareness of the Tibetan issue and share Tibet's rich culture with the world through his music. Since 1989 he has lived in Switzerland with his Swiss wife and their two children. 

Additional Credits

Director and Producer: Robb Bradstock. 

Camera and Sound: Robb Bradstock, Douglas Phillips and Neil Hurley 

Editor: Robb Bradstock. 

Editorial Assistance: Peter Carr and Aileen Crowley. 

Narrator: Belinda Lang. 

Music: Declan Young and Ger Wolfe. 

Graphic Design: Meredith Flandreau 

Audio mixing: Tony O’Flaherty

Production Stills: Douglas Phillips and Neil Hurley

Archival images reproduced by kind permission of The Tibet Museum, The Tibetan Children’s Village and Jamie Narogee. 

Special thanks: His Holiness The Dalai Lama,Tendzin, Choegyal Rinchen Khando Choegyal, Lhasang Tsering, Loten Namling, Lhakdor, Kelsang Wangdo, Tenzin Jangchup, Lobsang Tenzin, Thupten Dorje, Thupten Samphel The Department of Information and International Relations Tenzin Taklha, The Tashi Lhunpo Monks (Sand Mandala), Nechung Monastery, Tse-choeling Monastery, Nymgyal Monastery, Gyoto Monastery Dromo Ling Nunnery, Shugseb Nunnery, Ganden Choeling Nunnery, The Tibetan Children’s Village, The TCV Day School, The Tibetan Institute for the Performing Arts,The Norbulinka Centre, The People of Dharamsala and McLeod Ganj, Janet Peterson. Meredith Flandreau, Laura Flandreau, Arran Tenzin Bradstock, Cheryl Kumar Shilpi and Yadav Rai, Julie Sauerwein, Yulia Artamonova, Christina Burnett, Harry Dixon, Simon Priestman, Sam Russell, Nathan Kingsely Warren, The Dharma Network, Llana Pearlman, Jane Rasch, Micheál MacSuibhne, Max Le Cain and Chris Hurley.