Par: Priscila Néri, Posté le: Aug 27 08

UPDATE - October 15, 2008: After seven months of detention, filmmaker and Buddhist monk Golog Jigme has just been released from prison, according to a statement just released by Filming For Tibet, the company that produced Leaving Fear Behind. The statement goes on to say that Jigme was "severely tortured after his arrest in March 2008" and "fainted several times (during interrogations) due to the beatings." He is now back at the Labrang Tashikyil monastery in the Gansu province. Dhondup Wangchen is still in detention and there is no news on his pending trial. Read the full statement here.

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Original post from August 27th - We first learned about Leaving Fear Behind through Louis Spitzer from Hub Ally International Campaign for Tibet. We were excited about seeing a film that had been entirely shot, directed and produced in Tibet by Tibetans. Keeping with our mission of using online video to highlight human rights stories and drive change, the documentary would be an opportunity to showcase these often unheard voices.

Before making the decision to publish this documentary film on the Hub, however, we had to consider serious safety & security risks involved for all who participated. In Tibet, merely speaking out against Chinese rule or worshiping the Dalai Lama are severely punishable crimes. Since many in the film were seen doing that, we set out to find answers to the following key concerns:

1) Could the online publication of this documentary present any safety or security risks for those Tibetans portrayed in the film?

2) Had they all agreed to have their identities revealed? Did they understand the potential implications of revealing their identities? And were they aware this film would be released to a global audience?

3) What would be the potential consequences for the filmmakers, who have been missing since March?

4) Did the filmmakers' families approve the release of the film?  Did they believe this could help bring attention to the filmmakers' plight? 

To get a better understanding of the situation, we reached out to local Tibetan organizations and also contacted Gyaljong Tsertin, who received the tapes and edited the film after the filmmakers were detained.  In a conversation with him (carried out through a translator), Gyaljong explained that the filmmakers took several precautionary measures to ensure the safety of those Tibetans being filmed, including: 

a) explaining the purpose and goal of the film in great detail, as well as plans for how the material would be released

b) providing all interviewees with the option of hiding their faces or not speaking altogether

According to Gyaljong, all the interviewees shown in the film agreed to have their identities revealed "so strong was their desire to express themselves to the world." Since the release of the film, the production has received word that as many as 12 of the interviewees shown had reportedly been interrogated by local police (but not, to their knowledge, detained or arrested). 

"Leaving Fear Behind" was born of the desire of bringing Tibetan voices to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, say the filmmakers. "The idea of our film is not to get famous or to give entertainment. But at a time of great difficulty and a feeling of helplessness, it is for us to show such a film to get some meaningful responses and results.  It is very difficult [for Tibetans] to go to Beijing and speak out there.  So that is why we decided to show the real feelings of Tibetans inside Tibet through this film," says Dhondup in the film.

Watch the film, spread the word, and take action to demand the immediate release of Dhondup and Golog.