State of Statelessness

In each of these four distinct and compelling stories, characters are either waiting to leave or yearning to return, stuck in a bardo – the state of limbo central to Tibetan Buddhism – that keeps shifting the ground beneath their feet. United by displacement, the Drung Tibetan Filmmakers’ Collective – whose stories bridge India, America, and Vietnam – tell of estranged sisters reuniting over loss, old relationships warped by distance, and a homecoming that leads to the discovery of a buried family secret. In these personal and emotionally complex tales, tradition – in the form of the ancient Buddhist art form of thangka painting, momos, and rituals – meets everyday myth-making.

Select the Alice Springs Double Pass below to see both STATE OF STATELESSNESS and FARMING THE REVOLUTION for just $32

Special Guests: Tenzing Sonam and Ritu Sarin

Tenzing Sonam and Ritu Sarin, based in Dharamshala, are longtime collaborators and filmmakers. Their work focuses primarily on Tibet and attempts to document and reflect on the questions of exile, identity, culture and nationalism that confront the Tibetan people. Their acclaimed films, including The Sun Behind the Clouds and Dreaming Lhasa, have screened globally. As founders of the Dharamshala International Film Festival, they play a key role in India’s indie film scene. Their latest feature, State of Statelessness, the first-ever Tibetan-language anthology, premiered at Busan in 2024.