3802 - SETE ANOS NO TIBET (1997)

SETE ANOS NO TIBET (SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET, USA, UK, 1997) - The movie is a star vehicle at heart, aimed more at marketing Pitt's popularity than probing complexities of empire-building and cultural clash that trouble the Tibetan region to this day. Still, the story takes clear stands on moral and ethical issues - such as China's outrageous occupation of its peace-loving neighbor - and may foster new understanding of this ongoing situation. A two-year journey brings him to the isolated Tibetan city of Lhasa, center of the country's Buddhist faith. It is also the home of Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama - still a boy, tantalized by a little knowledge of Western culture and eager for a teacher who'll expand his horizons.