Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 9: The 13th edition of the Tibet Film Festival (TFF) is set to commence in Dharamshala from September 11 to 12 at Upper Tibetan Children’s Village School coinciding with the Tibetan Youth Festival. Parallel to this, the 16th TFF Zurich will run from September 12 to 14.
The highlight of this year’s program is the much-anticipated short film competition, scheduled for September 11 at 5:45 PM. First introduced in 2010, the competition has since evolved into an integral feature of the festival, offering emerging Tibetan filmmakers a space to experiment, narrate, and share stories rooted in identity, displacement, and resilience. “This year we have a stellar selection of eight short films submitted from around the Tibetan diaspora, including India, Belgium, USA, Switzerland, and France,” the TFF stated.
A distinguished jury of Tibetan filmmakers, artists, and scholars will evaluate the submissions and confer the Yak Prize, valued at CHF 3,000. Additionally, audiences will have the chance to honour their favourite film with the Audience Award of CHF 500. The 2025 jury includes Sonam Tseten, Dharamshala-based filmmaker and co-founder of the Drung Filmmakers’ Collective; Kunsang Kyirong, Toronto-based filmmaker and animator; Tenzin Tsetan Choklay, Tibetan-American filmmaker with bases in New York and Dharamshala; YESHE, Swiss-based Tibetan singer-songwriter and artist; and Dr. Dawa Lokyitsang, Tibetan-American political and historical anthropologist.
Beyond the competition, the festival will also feature screenings of Bringing Tibet Home (2013), directed by Tenzin Tsetan Choklay, and TALK: Tenzing Rigdol by the Tibetan-American artist and filmmaker Tenzing Rigdol, followed by a Q&A session with him.
On the second day, a special panel discussion titled “Behind the Scenes” will bring together Tibetan filmmakers, actors, and theatre/performance artists to reflect on the craft of visual storytelling. Speakers include filmmaker Sonam Tseten, composer and producer Shenpenn Khymsar, actor and Tibet Theatre founder Lhakpa Tsering, and actor-production manager Tenzin Pema. The panel will explore nurturing a unique artistic voice, sustaining creative practices, collaborative storytelling, and overcoming the challenges of narrating bold, unflinching stories.
Since its inception in 2009 in Switzerland, the Tibet Film Festival has grown into a unique cultural institution, amplifying Tibetan cinema and offering rare glimpses into both life in Tibet and the experiences of the diaspora. The 13th edition continues this legacy, with the spotlight firmly on the younger generation of Tibetan storytellers carving their place in the global cinematic landscape. Further extending its reach, the festival is also set to return to London from October 31 to November 2.
