Tibet Films Online: A New Digital Home for Exile Tibetan Cinema
Drung Tibetan Filmmakers Collective, 2020
In December 2020, a landmark initiative took shape that expanded the digital horizons of Tibetan cinema. Tibet Films Online was launched as an experimental streaming platform dedicated to showcasing films made by Tibetan filmmakers living in exile. The project was organized by Drung Tibetan Filmmakers Collective in collaboration with the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF), and it offered audiences around the world a rare opportunity to access a broad selection of Tibetan films in one place.
A Platform Born from Community and Need
The inspiration behind Tibet Films Online arose from a shared recognition that contemporary Tibetan cinema has been gaining momentum and acclaim on the international stage, but remains difficult to access for many viewers, especially within the Tibetan community itself. Many remarkable films produced by Tibetan directors, writers, and artists are seldom seen beyond festival screenings or limited exhibition windows. DIFF and Drung came together to bridge this gap by creating a limited-period online streaming platform where films could be easily viewed on a pay-per-view basis over a defined window.
The initiative was envisioned not just as a showcase but as a space for connection, visibility, and support for Tibetan filmmakers. It aimed to address the central challenge of limited distribution by enabling audiences from around the world to stream films that might otherwise never be widely accessible. Importantly, it also allowed filmmakers to share in the revenue earned, offering a model that supported both creative expression and economic sustainability.
A Curated Selection of Tibetan Voices
Tibet Films Online presented a diverse selection of films by Tibetan directors and artists from the diaspora. The collection included documentary works, narrative features, shorts, and animation, capturing a wide range of experiences, themes, and artistic styles. Among the titles featured were films from established filmmakers like Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, whose works explore identity, history, and memory from deeply personal perspectives, as well as films from emerging voices across the community.
Some featured films included Prayers Answered and Las-mon by Geleck Palsang, The Cup by Khyentse Norbu, My Son Tenzin by Tashi Wangchuk and Tsultrim Dorjee, and Bringing Tibet Home by Tenzin Tsetan Choklay, among many others that spanned genres and styles. The platform also included works by Drung-associated filmmakers such as Tenzin Kalden, whose film Light a Candle was part of the selection.
By bringing these films together in one curated space, Tibet Films Online offered viewers a panoramic view of Tibetan cinematic expression, showcasing how filmmakers in exile are telling stories about memory, culture, identity, displacement, and resilience.
Community Building Through Digital Access
Although the platform was available only for a short period, its impact illustrates the potential of digital distribution to expand access to underrepresented cinema. Tibet Films Online created a moment where global audiences could engage with Tibetan films more directly, generating interest, conversation, and support for the filmmakers and their work. It demonstrated how online platforms can complement traditional festival circuits, supporting the visibility of films that might otherwise remain unseen.
For Drung Tibetan Filmmakers Collective, Tibet Films Online was more than an event; it was a statement about the importance of community-led initiatives in shaping cultural landscapes. By combining curation, technology, and collaboration, the project helped to ensure that Tibetan cinematic voices could reach new audiences with stories that matter deeply to both Tibetan and global viewers.
Looking Forward
While the initial run of Tibet Films Online was a limited experiment, its legacy continues to inspire conversations about inclusive access and alternative distribution models for independent cinema. The success of the initiative points to future possibilities where exile and diaspora filmmakers can use digital platforms to sustain and broaden their creative impact.
Cinema can tell us who we are and where we come from. Through ventures like Tibet Films Online, those stories find new life and new audiences across the world.
