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By Laura Taylor
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Will the Dalai Lama run a lap at the 2008 Olympics? How likely is it he will open the Games in Beijing? Joshua Dugdale’s film, The Unwinking Gaze, doesn’t answer these questions, but he remarks; “that scene would be a beautiful thing.”
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With the prospect of the Dalai Lama’s visit to the UK at the end of May and the ensuing 2008 Olympic Games in China, Joshua Dugdale is releasing (29th May 2008) his very relevant documentary covering the Dalai Lama’s political activities over the Tibetan struggle.
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Joshua’s original plan was to film daily life with the Dalai Lama and the highlight being His Holiness’s 70th birthday, but the result is more than just a day-to-day account. The film developed a rhythm as events forced Joshua to extend his adventure; the Dalai Lama’s trip to the US and the Tibetan riots meant filming continued on and off for a period of four years! The result is a film which reveals discussions between the ‘Dalai clique’ and Chinese officials usually kept behind closed doors.
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It was said that; “the Dalai Lama is the only man in the world that could have managed to keep the Tibetans in this position” - even after being exiled by the Chinese government. He has kept his ‘rule of compassion’ for half a century and, until now, the Tibetans have kept a similar peaceful attitude.
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Joshua is adamant that The Unwinking Gaze is “not a campaigning film.” But he will be releasing it in Chinese, in a bid to keep the issue high in the political agenda.
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For more information, please visit: http://www.unwinkinggaze.com/ and to see clips of the documentary go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/theunwinkinggaze.
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