China Pulls Two Films From Palm Springs Film Festival

by Natalie Sullivan | Published January 8, 2010

The Dalai Lama in a still from Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam’s documentary The Sun Behind the Clouds: Tibet’s Struggle for Freedom.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival announced yesterday that two Chinese films set to screen at the 2010 festival, City of Life and Death and Quick, Quick, Slow, have been withdrawn. This news comes in response to the festival’s decision to screen Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam’s documentary The Sun Behind the Clouds: Tibet’s Struggle for Freedom despite the Chinese government’s request to cancel the film’s screenings. Sarin and Sonam’s documentary chronicles a year with the exiled Dalai Lama and explores the hardships affecting the people of Tibet.

In response to the Chinese authorities’ decision to withdraw City of Life and Death and Quick, Quick, Slow from the festival, festival director Darryl Macdonald noted, “I’m saddened that the Chinese film authorities have chosen to withdraw their films from PSIFF, as the festival is an international cultural event whose mandate is to present a wide cross section of perspectives and points of view. That said, we cannot allow the concerns of one country or community to dictate what films we should or should not play, based on their own cultural or political perspective.”

This news follows on the heels of the recent report that Tibetan moviemaker Dhondup Wangchen was sentenced to six years in prison in a secret sentencing held by the Xilin People’s Court in the Chinese province of Qinghai on December 28, 2009 for the crime of “splitting the motherland,” stemming from his documentary Leaving Fear Behind. The Association for Tibetan Journalists continues to protest his imprisonment and call for the moviemaker’s release.

The Florida festival will screen For a Moment Freedom (Austria/France) and Sticky Fingers (Canada/France/Spain) in lieu of City of Life and Death, while replacement screenings for Quick, Quick, Slow will be announced at a later date. The Palm Springs International Film Festival is in its 21st year and runs from January 5-18, 2010.

To learn more about the festival, visit www.psfilmfest.org.

Share your thoughts on this story in our COMMENTS section. Or take action at www.leavingfearbehind.com/take-action.html.

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Comment by One More Dreamer on 1/11/10 at 4:24 pm: Like George Orwell said, (roughly) “if you want to see the future of the human race, imagine a boot stamping on a face, forever. “ I think Tibet has water the Chinese need? We don’t care because we want all the cheap plastic crap in WalMart. Thankfully there are filmmakers like the guy who just got six years who’ll take on the tyrants of the world.
Comment by Dan48 on 6/09/10 at 3:29 am: That’s sad to hear, those could of been two great films to see at the festival. I wish China would give there people the freedom they need.
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Comment by iş bul on 6/10/10 at 7:18 am: i lke festival we are make it in turkey :))
Comment by kadincak kadın estetik diyet on 6/10/10 at 7:19 am: festivals are a culture of a region :))
Comment by memurlar on 6/10/10 at 7:32 am: I’m saddened that the Chinese film authorities have chosen to withdraw their films from PSIFF, as the festival is an international cultural event whose mandate is to present a wide cross section of perspectives and points of view.
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Comment by Anita on 7/02/10 at 11:10 am: The Dalai Lama is a true treasure for the world, but the world is so GREEDY they missed out.
I applaud the Palm Springs Film Festival to reminding China that here in the USA we are still a democracy.
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