The film Seven Years in Tibet has arrived in cinemas

THE FILM Seven Years in Tibet, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, arrived in theaters on October 8, 1997 and immediately caused political controversy. Based on the autobiographical book by Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer, the film combined epic drama, exotic landscapes and a strong political message that got it banned in China.

Plot and historical context

The biographical war drama follows Heinrich Harrer (Brad Pitt), an Austrian alpinist and member of an expedition to the Himalayas, who ends up in a British prison camp in India during World War II. After escaping, Harrer and his companion Peter Aufschnaiter (David Thewlis) embark on a perilous journey through the Himalayas, which leads them to Tibet – then still isolated from the rest of the world.

Harrer spends seven years in Lhasa, during which he develops an unexpected friendship with the young Dalai Lama (Jamyanga Jamtsho Wangchuka). Tibet is portrayed as a spiritual refuge on the brink of historical catastrophe – the Chinese invasion of 1950, which will forever change the fate of the country.

Acting and production

With the role of Harrer, Brad Pitt confirmed his status as an actor ready to take risks and break out of the cliché of a romantic seducer. His interpretation portrays Harrer as an egotistical and ambitious man whose personality gradually changes under the influence of Tibetan culture and the young Dalai Lama. David Thewlis provides a subtle counterbalance as Aufschnaiter, while the young Wangchuk’s performance adds an emotional core to the film.

The production was logistically demanding – the film was shot in Argentina, Canada and the Himalayas, as it was impossible to obtain permission to film in Tibet itself due to political sensitivities. The result is a visually impressive depiction of the mountain landscapes and Tibetan culture, although many critics feel that the film oversimplifies the complex historical background.

China’s reaction and the results at the box office

Immediately after the premiere, the film met with fierce criticism from the Chinese authorities. The depiction of the Chinese invasion of Tibet and the sympathetic portrait of the Dalai Lama were unacceptable to Beijing, so the film was banned in China.

In addition, Brad Pitt, director Jean-Jacques Annaud and actor David Thewlis were banned from entering China. Pitt remained on the “blacklist” for almost two decades – until 2014, when he appeared in China at an event with Angelina Jolie, which was interpreted as a kind of lifting of the ban.

Although it was not a commercial success (with a budget of $70 million, the film grossed around $130 million), Seven Years in Tibet was remembered for its visual richness, emotional story, and political context. Critics welcomed it with divided opinions – some emphasized the beauty and power of the film’s message, while others criticized Hollywood’s simplification of history.