Articulating for Tibetan Experiences in the Contemporary World: A Cultural Study of Pema Tseden’s and Sonthar Gyal’s Films

In recent years, Pema Tseden and Sonthar Gyal have created a number of films on Tibet that have won many international awards. Their works diverge greatly from the stereotypical images of Tibet. This paper explores the re-representation of Tibet in their works from a postcolonial perspective by employing Stuart Hall’s (1996) theorisation of articulation as a strategy of resisting visual stereotypes. The purpose is to explore the directors’ attempt at demystifying Tibet and their concern with Tibetan identity anxiety in the context of modernisation and globalisation. Through critical examination of the neorealist depiction of Tibet, the issues of modernity, the crisis in identity, and the characters’ attempts at self-redemption, it is argued that the directors voice the need for reconstructing the Tibetan identity by negotiating tradition and modern life. It is concluded that their works signify the inception of true minority nationality films in Chinese cinema. It is an inspiration to other ethnicities in China in speaking about their experiences in the world of modernisation and globalisation.