Filmmakers
Tsering Rhitar
Tsering Rhitar was born in Nepal. After completing his school from CST Mussoorie, he studied filmmaking at the Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi from 1992 to 1993. In 1994, he spent a year in Dharamshala, India, filming the Dalai Lama and the institutions of the Tibetan government-in-exile. His work includes "Tears of Torture", a 27-minute documentary about a Tibetan nun who crossed snow passes and Chinese police checkposts to escape from Tibet on foot.
His 1997 film "The Spirit Doesn't Come Anymore", a documentary film profiling an old Tibetan shaman earned him the Best Film Award in Film South Asia — festival of South Asian documentary films, and Best Indigenous Filmmaker of the Year at Parnu Anthropological Film Festival, Estonia.
In 2000, he made "Mukundo" (Mask of Desire: 1hr. 45 mins) &mdash a feature film in Nepali, a co-production of Mila Productions (P) Ltd. and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), which was widely shown in International Film Festivals, and was Nepal's Official Entry for Academy Awards (OSCAR) in Best Foreign Language Film Section in 2000.
He is presently working on his next feature film, "Karma", about two Buddhist nuns who are sent out from their nunnery in the remote Mustang region, to track down an elusive businessman and recover the nunnery's money loaned to him, for a grand prayer that the nunnery has to perform.
Filmography
- 2005: Under Production "Karma"; a feature film about two Buddhist nuns from a remote nunnery in Mustang region, who are sent down to track an elusive local businessman and recover the money that he owes to the nunnery.
- 2005: Produced and directed for Save the Children, Sweden, "Children's Voices Against Violence Against Children", 24 mins. A film about violence against children.
- 2004: Produced and directed for PLAN Nepal, "Theatre for Development — Trusting the Process", a 26 min. documentary film about theatre as a process and medium for children in addressing their problems and issues that concern them.
- 2004: Produced and Directed for Save the Children UK, "Memories of 3 Decades", a 30 min. documentary profile of Save the Children UK's 29 years work with the children in Nepal.
- 2004: Produced and Directed for Save the Children, "Shaping our Future" a 30 min. documentary on Children's participation in the National Plan of Action process in Bangladesh and Nepal.
- 2003: Produced and Directed for Tibet Fund, New York, "Chaksampa: The Yogi who Built Iron Bridges" - 30 min. documentary film about Tibetan Opera.
- 2002: Directed a short film "Ranjita's Story" - an experimental film about exploring a child's emotions as to what makes him/her happy. Produced by Ragdoll Ltd. and Save the Children UK.
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2002: Produced and Directed for Tibet Fund, New York, "Lama Mani" - 30 min. documentary
film about the art of Tibetan Oral Tradition.
The film was screened at: - 5 - 8 December 2002: Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival, Nepal
- 4 - 5 October 2003: Himalayan Film Festival, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- 2001: Produced and Directed for Save the Children UK "Change Makers of South Asia" - a 30 min. documentary about building partnership between children, eminent corporate leaders and Government planners in the pursuit of accomplishing children's rights.
- 2001: Edited for Save the Children UK "Film Inside Outside Film" - a documentary film about disabled children in Nepal using filmmaking as the medium to express their lack of accessibility to basic and primary education.
- 2000: Shot and edited for ILO, "Child Labor in Nepal" - a 5 min. multi media presentation about the problem of Child Labour in Nepal
- 2000: Produced and Directed for Save the Children UK "The Development Studies School" - a documentary film about experiential learning among children - a possible alternative to the existing method of teaching in the schools.
- 2000: Produced and Directed "Mukundo" (Mask of Desire) 1hr. 45 mins.
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A feature film in Nepali; co-production of Mila Productions (P) Ltd. and NHK (Japan Broadcasting
Corporation).
The film was screened at: - 10 - 20 Dec. 1999: 3rd Asian Film Festival, Tokyo, Japan
- 28 Jan - 6 Feb. 2000: Goteborg International Film Festival, Sweden
- 12 - 19 March 2000: Fribourg International Film Festival, Switzerland
- 20 April - 4 May 2000: San Francisco International Film Festival,USA
- 8 - 17 September 2000: Fukuoka International Film Festival, (Focus On Asia), Japan
- 22 Sept - 5 October 2000: Vancouver International Film Festival, Canada
- 22 - 29 November 2001: Mumbai International Film Festival, India
- 2000: Academy Awards Consideration (Nepal) in Best Foreign Language Film. Screened at:
- 4 - 5 October 2003: Himalayan Film Festival, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- 2003: Telluride Mountain Film Festival (USA)
- 1999: "Listen to the Wind" 30 mins. A short drama film (co-directed with Kesang Tseten) for UNICEF and SCF (UK), as part of a series of films from South Asia exploring the masculinity in the region. It was shown widely across Nepal, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
- 1998 - 99: Local producer for the Mill Valley Film Group's (San Francisco) "Dignity in Exile", a documentary film about the renaissance of Tibetan culture in exile.
- 2003: Telluride Mountain Film Festival (USA)
- 1999: Local producer for documentary film "Highway to Hell" about trafficking of girls from Nepal to India.
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1997: Produced and Directed "The Spirit Doesn't Come Anymore", 38 mins. (Documentary).
The film won:- 1997: Best Film Award, Film South Asia (Festival of South Asian Documentary Films), Kathmandu, Nepal.
- 1998: Best Indigenous Filmmaker of the Year, Parnu Anthropological Film Festival, Estonia.
- 1997: Leipzig Dokfestival, Germany
- 1997: 9th Internationales Berg + Abenteuer Film Festival Graz, Austria
- 1998: Cinema du Reel, Paris, France
- 1998: Bilan Ethnographique, Paris, France
- 1998: Hong Kong International Film Festival, Hong Kong
- 1998: Telluride Mountain Film Festival (USA)
- 1998: Beeld Voor Beeld, Amsterdam Anthropological Film Festival, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- 1998: Tokyo International Film Festival, Japan
- 1998: Fukuoka International Film Festival (Focus On Asia), Japan
- 1999: Yamagata International Film Festival, Japan
- 2003: Himalayan Film Festival, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- 1996: Produced and Directed "Shower of Virtue and Goodness" 28 mins., a documentary about a Buddhist Consecration Ceremony
- 1995: "Breath" 7 mins. (Experimental film)
- 1995: Nepali Short/Experimental Film Competition, First Prize
- 1994: Produced and Directed "Tears of Torture" 27 mins. A documentary film about a Tibetan nun who crossed snow passes and Chinese police checkposts to escape from Tibet on foot.
Contact:
Tsering Rhitar: Producer/Director
Mila Productions (P) Ltd.
P.O Box. 3064
Mahankal, Boudha
Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel. (Office) +977 1 447 0675, 449 2143
Tel: (Res.) +977 1 446 7715