Still of "Tibet Sky"

After five years’ painstaking efforts and 500 days' filming on Tibetan plateau, the 118-minute "Tibet Sky" made its debut in Shanghai recently, facing up to the world’s attention in an artistic way, according to the report by gmw.cn.

Focusing on humanity, the film reproduced the democratic reform in Tibet and reflects the socio-historic changes happening in Tibet in the past half century.

In addition to the magnificent mountain landscape and Tibetan culture, the movie touches the audience with a story between Tenzin, child of the manor, and Phurbu, serf of Tenzin.

The childhood friends become enemies when they grow up, because of the huge gap between their identities and families. Phurbu, the serf, starts his life as a lama in the name of Tenzin, which means all chants he makes, and all his prayers, shall be owned by Tenzin.

"Good story is half done to a movie," said Ren Zhonglun, producer of the movie, "we were willing to shoot the film as an Tibetan epic at the very beginning."

Still of "Tibet Sky"

To be more artistically credible, "Tibet Sky" also has an all-Tibetan cast and all its dialogue is in Tibetan with Chinese subtitles.

Alai, screenwriter of the movie, is a Chinese novelist of Tibetan descent on his mother's side. He became the youngest winner of the Mao Dun Literature Prize in 2003 at the age of 44, for his saga novel "All Dust Settled".

"The liberation is far more than the liberation of Phurbu, but also the liberation of Tenzin and ultimately of the humankind," said Alai, "the emotional conflicts and difficulties of the two heroes in their lives reflect great changes of the society and people’s pursuit of equality and freedom."

"The movie gives me a deeper understanding about my homeland. I believe it can show the world the real Tibet," said Lawa Norbu, the Tibetan actor played Phurbu in the movie.

A version with English subtitles will come out soon for the overseas market, and the movie is likely to feature prominently at the Salento International Film Festival in Italy in June and the Montreal International Film Festival in Canada in August.