The screen fades to black and the end credits roll up on the projected screen. The audience sits in silence.
The movie is “Unwinking Gaze,” a documentary that follows the daily life of the Dalai Lama and his constant political struggle with China.
Emily Clark, a 21-year-old senior finance major, said she enjoyed the movie.
“I liked it,” Clark said. “It was an interesting view.”
This movie is one of 13 that will be shown in the 2009 Tibet Film Series. The film series is hosted by the ANTH 1105 Exploring a Non-Western Culture: Tibet class. Until Nov. 14, one to two movies will be shown for free, according to the Tibet Film Series’ Web site. The series began Friday night.
Hannah Merriam, a 20-year-old junior anthropology and sociology double major and member of her recitation’s publicity group, said she sees the series as a unique opportunity.
“It’s cool because you can get an idea of Tibet and a more firsthand perspective than just what you see in the media,” Merriam said.
Merriam’s recitation TA, Somraj Basu, said he agrees.
“We hope people will come from Boulder and around Boulder because a large representation of Boulder is culturally and politically sensitive to this issue and it will be making people more aware,” Basu said. “We are trying to build more sensitivity.”
Each recitation breaks up into four groups for their movie: publicity, program makers, introductory and Q&A and fundraising, Basu said.
He explained that before showing each movie, the introductory and Q&A group gives a brief presentation of background information, and after each movie the group answers questions. The program group creates the program and each fundraising group collects donations for a different Tibetan charity.
For “Unwinking Gaze,” the recitation class sold baked goods to collect money for Tibetan Village Project. The students are allowed to be as creative with their fundraising as they like, according to a handout passed out at the event.
Merriam said she urges students to come to the film series so they can further understand the current conflict in Tibet.
“By attending you can also just broaden what you associate with Tibet,” Merriam said.
The film schedule can be seen on the Tibet Film Series’ Web site.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Rose Heaphy at Josephine.heaphy@colorado.edu.
