Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

Director:

Jean-Jacques Annaud

Writers (WGA):

Heinrich Harrer (book)
Becky Johnston (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 October 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Biography | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

At the end of the world his real journey began.

Plot:

True story of Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountain climber who became friends with the Dalai Lama at the time of China's takeover of Tibet.

Plot Keywords:

Mountain | Dalai Lama | Austria | Himalaya | Tibet

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Brad Pitt	...	Heinrich Harrer
David Thewlis	...	Peter Aufschnaiter
BD Wong	...	Ngawang Jigme
Mako	...	Kungo Tsarong
Danny Denzongpa	...	Regent
Victor Wong	...	Chinese 'Amban'
Ingeborga Dapkunaite	...	Ingrid Harrer
Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk	...	Dalai Lama, 14 Years Old
Lhakpa Tsamchoe	...	Pema Lhaki
Jetsun Pema	...	Great Mother
Ama Ashe Dongtse	...	Tashi
Sonam Wangchuk	...	Dalai Lama, 8 Years Old
Dorjee Tsering	...	Dalai Lama, 4 Years Old
Ric Young	...	General Chang Jing Wu
Ngawang Chojor	...	Lord Chamberlain (as Ven. Ngawang Chojor)
Duncan Fraser	...	British Officer
Benedick Blythe	...	Nazi Official
Tom Raudaschl	...	Lutz Chicken
Wolfgang Tonninger	...	Hans Lobenhoffer
Samdup Dhargyal	...	The Garpon
Chemchok	...	Garpon's Agent
Tenzin Jangchub	...	Declaration Monk Official (as Ven. Tenzin Jangschub)
Angphurba Sherpa	...	Tibetan General (as Major Angphurba Sherpa)
Tsering Wangdue	...	Burly Guide
Yama Ngudup Cheshatsang	...	Burly Guide
Kalsang Dhundop Lungtok	...	Vendor Ice-Skates
Sonam Bidhartsang	...	Jacket Vendor
Lama Champa Tsondu	...	Watch Vendor
Geshe Lobsang Nyma	...	Ling Rinpoche
Geshe Yeshi Tsultrim	...	Trijang Rinpoche
Lama Champa Chandu	...	Dalai Lama's Room Attendant
Pemba Norbu Sherpa	...	Young Sherpa
Karma Apo-Tsang	...	Messenger to Great Mother
Ngawang Tenzingyatso	...	Jokhang Monk Official (as Ven. Ngawang Tenzin Gyatso)
Choeden Tsering	...	Military Instructor
Lama Jampa Lekshe	...	Monk Head of Security
Lama Thupten Nugdup	...	Head of Security's Aide
Daniel Tedeschi	...	Marchese
Gerardo Ebert	...	Horst Immerhof
Sebastian Zevalia	...	Younger Rolf Harrer
Philipp Kriechbaum	...	Older Rolf Harrer
Lobsang Gendun Rinpoche	...	Tibetan
Tenzin Gyaltsen Rinpoche	...	Tibetan
Sharpa Tulku Rinpoche	...	Tibetan
Zongra Tulku Rinpoche	...	Tibetan
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Victor A. Haddox	...	Priest at Graz Train Station (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean-Jacques Annaud

Writing credits (WGA)
Heinrich Harrer		(book)
Becky Johnston		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jean-Jacques Annaud	....	producer
Michael Besman	....	executive producer
Richard B. Goodwin	....	executive producer (as Richard Goodwin)
Catherine Moulin	....	producer: Himalaya
David Nichols	....	executive producer
Iain Smith	....	producer
Diane Summers	....	executive producer: Himalaya
Alisa Tager	....	associate producer
John H. Williams	....	producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Robert Fraisse		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Noëlle Boisson

Casting by
Priscilla John
Francine Maisler

Production Design by
Hoang Thanh At		(as At Hoang)

Art Direction by
Claude Paré		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Jim Erickson

Costume Design by
Enrico Sabbatini

Makeup Department
Jean Ann Black	....	makeup artist: Mr. Pitt, Argentina (as Jean Black)
Christine Blundell	....	makeup artist: Mr. Thewlis, Argentina
Desideria Corridoni	....	hair stylist: Argentina
Maria Teresa Corridoni	....	key hair stylist: Argentina
Paul Engelen	....	key makeup artist: Argentina
Thom MacIntyre	....	hair stylist: Canada (as Tom McIntyre)
Stefano Nigro	....	hair stylist: Argentina
Barry Richardson	....	hair stylist: Argentina
Meg Speirs	....	makeup artist: Argentina
Alberto Moccia	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Eleanor Chaudhuri	....	production manager: Argentina
Doro Geyer	....	production manager: Austria
Trevor Ingman	....	unit manager: Argentina
Philip Kohler	....	production manager: Argentina
Brent O'Connor	....	production manager
Edmon Roch	....	production manager
Michael Saxton	....	post-production supervisor
Araceli Segarra	....	production manager: High Himalayas, Himalaya
Barbara Factorovich	....	assistant unit production manager (uncredited)
Chantal Feghali	....	post-production supervisor (uncredited)
Juan Pablo Laplace	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Brebner	....	first assistant director: Canada
Olivier Brejoux	....	first assistant director: Himalaya
Mark Egerton	....	first assistant director
Mark Egerton	....	second unit director
Javier Garrido	....	second assistant director: Argentina
Tenzin Chodak Gyalpo	....	tibetan assistant director: Argentina
Peter Heslop	....	second assistant director: Argentina
Nawang Khechog	....	tibetan assistant director: Argentina
Justin Muller	....	first assistant director: second unit
Allen Smith	....	second unit director: Argentina and Canada
Martin Sosa	....	first assistant director: Argentina
Sonam Tashi	....	assistant director: Argentina
Hernan Zayas	....	second assistant director: second unit
Martin Hodara	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Gordon Brunner	....	property assistant: Argentina
James H. Chow	....	property master (as Jim Chow)
Francois-Pierre Deberre	....	scenic painter supervisor: Argentina (as Francois Pierre Deberre)
Gordon Izod	....	supervising plasterer: Argentina
Reginald Keywood	....	assistant construction coordinator: Argentina (as Reg Keywood)
Ignacio McBurney	....	property assistant: Argentina
Graciela Oderigo	....	assistant art director: Argentina (as Graciela 'Coca' Oderigo)
John Park	....	supervising carpenter: Argentina
John Paterson	....	construction coordinator: Argentina
Dave Philpott	....	supervising carpenter: Argentina (as David Philpott)
Pierre Queffelean	....	supervising art director: Argentina
Pippa Rawlinson	....	draughtsman
Maxime Rebière	....	storyboard artist
George Richardson	....	supervising art director: Argentina
Wayne Shepherd	....	lead man
Clementine Terramorsi	....	art department researcher: Argentina
Paul Wescott	....	supervising painter: Argentina
Victor J. Zolfo	....	assistant set decorator: Argentina (as Victor Zolfo)
Scott Calderwood	....	leadman (uncredited)
Anthony Caron-Delion	....	set designer (uncredited)
Patricio M. Farrell	....	props buyer (uncredited)
Gavin Gordon	....	supervising carpenter: Argentina (uncredited)
Catherine Leighton	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Frank Matthews	....	supervising plasterer (uncredited)
Chris Sneddon	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
Mario Tomas-Niedworok	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Philip Alton	....	dialogue editor
Tim Cavagin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Colin Codner	....	boom operator: Argentina
Tim Hands	....	additional sound editor
Peter Holt	....	foley editor
Dean Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Kusan	....	boom operator: Canada
Mark Lafbery	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andrés Mayo	....	boom operator: second unit
Christine Newall	....	assistant foley editor
Richard Patton	....	sound mixer: Canada (as Rick Patton)
Peter Pennell	....	supervising sound editor
Grahame Peters	....	additional sound editor
Julian Rodd	....	additional sound editor
Victoria Stevens	....	assistant dialogue editor
Ken Weston	....	sound mixer: Argentina
Tim Worth	....	sound mixer: second unit
Darren Brisker	....	sound mixer: Canada (uncredited)
Alan Snelling	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dan Cervin	....	special effects technician: Argentina
André Dominguez	....	special effects technician: Argentina
Corbin Fox	....	special effects technician: Argentina
Dean Lockwood	....	special effects
Reg Milne	....	special effects technician: Argentina (as Reginald Milne)
Chris Clarke	....	model maker (uncredited)
Dave Dunaway	....	effects rigger (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Laurent Ben-Mimoun	....	digital matte painter
Dimitri Delacovias	....	digital matte painter
Antony Hunt	....	visual effects producer
Andrew Jeffery	....	digital film controller
Roger Lofting	....	visual effects producer
Phillippe Montagny	....	digital effects supervisor
Trevor Young	....	film recording
Simon Carr	....	digital effects artist: Magic Camera (uncredited)
Alan Church	....	digital effects supervisor: Film Factory (uncredited)
Max Dennison	....	digital matte artist (uncredited)
Andy Fowler	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)
José Granell	....	director of miniature effects (uncredited)
Sarah Marchant	....	Inferno compositing artist (uncredited)
Daniel Pettipher	....	digital artist: The Magic Camera Company (uncredited)
Sandra Roach	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Angie Wills	....	visual effects coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts
Marc Cass	....	stunts
Ray De-Haan	....	stunts (as Ray de Haan)
David Forman	....	stunts
Nick Gillard	....	stunt coordinator
Vincent Keane	....	stunts
Jamie Payton	....	stunts
Andreas Petrides	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Rick Allen	....	key grip: Canada
Peter Allwork	....	camera operator: Wescam, Austria
David Appleby	....	key grip: Argentina
David Appleby	....	still photographer: Argentina
Eddie Arguelles	....	video assist operator: second unit
Sylvain Bardoux	....	key grip: Himalaya
Klemens Becker	....	Steadicam operator
Klemens Becker	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Robert Binnall	....	focus puller: Argentina
David Breashears	....	unit camera: High Himalayan
François Daignault	....	Steadicam operator: second unit
François Daignault	....	assistant camera
François Daignault	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Carlos De San José	....	grip: second unit
Pascale Ferradini	....	assistant camera: Himalaya
Pablo Gómez	....	video assist: Argentina
Malcolm Huse	....	second grip: Argentina
Vincent Jeannot	....	camera operator: Himalaya
Martin Kenzie	....	camera operator
Alan McPherson	....	gaffer: second unit (as Alan Macpherson)
Sascha Mieke	....	Steadicam focus puller: Argentina
Sascha Mieke	....	camera operator: "b" camera, Argentina
Robert Palmer	....	clapper loader: Argentina
Rob Parisien	....	video assist: Canada
Michael Praun	....	clapper loader: Argentina
Araceli Segarra	....	assistant camera: High Himalayas, Himalaya
Jocelyn Simard	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Allen Smith	....	camera operator: second unit, Argentina and Canada
Jeff Upton	....	gaffer: Canada
Miguel 'Pipi' Zarcovich	....	grip: Argentina
Peter Bloor	....	gaffer (uncredited)
David Breashears	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Mark Evans	....	electrician (uncredited)
Anabella Goldberger	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Bill Kaye	....	additional still photographer (uncredited)
John Le Roy	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
Vincent McConnachie	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Ray Meehan	....	best boy (uncredited)
Larry Portmann	....	clapper loader: "a" camera, Vancouver (uncredited)

Casting Department
Stuart Aikins	....	casting: Canada
Kathy Driscoll	....	casting associate: Argentina (as Kathy Driscoll-Mohler)
Roy Easdale	....	extras casting: Argentina
Lucky Englander	....	casting: Austria
Fritz Fleischhacker	....	casting: Austria
Liz Legum	....	extras casting coordinator: Argentina
Patricia Pao	....	casting: Hong Kong (as Pat Pao)
Lucinda Syson	....	casting associate: Argentina
Orla Maxwell	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gastone Grassi	....	costume cutter: Argentina
Kate Healey	....	costumer: Canada
Carla Hetland	....	wardrobe manager: Argentina
Paolo Scalabrino	....	costume supervisor: Argentina
Claudio Manzi	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)
Maurizio Torti	....	costume assistant (uncredited)
Marisa Urruti	....	assistant to costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Giles Gardner	....	second assistant editor
Christine Marier	....	first assistant editor
Giulia Maura	....	post-production coordinator
Tasha Pym	....	second assistant editor
Fabrice Rouaud	....	assistant editor: avid
Jeanne Valentine Viannay	....	post-production secretary
Steve Farman	....	negative cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Sally Boldt	....	music editor
Budd Carr	....	executive in charge of music
Jeff Charbonneau	....	music editor
Robin Clarke	....	source music editor
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
Phuntsok Namgyal Dhumkhang	....	advisor: Tibetan music/art, Argentina
Jonathan Enraght-Moony	....	assistant music editor
Yo-Yo Ma	....	musician: cello solos
Jill Meyers	....	music clearances
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
John Neufeld	....	orchestrator
Kenneth Wannberg	....	supervising music editor (as Ken Wannberg)
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
Shawn Murphy	....	music recordist (uncredited)
John Williams	....	conductor (uncredited)
John Williams	....	music producer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Ricardo Avelluto	....	picture car coordinator: Argentina
Diego Conejero	....	transportation coordinator: Argentina
Arthur Dunne	....	transportation manager: Argentina
John Kavanagh	....	transportation captain: Argentina
Blue Angus	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)
Victor A. Haddox	....	production driver (uncredited)
Paul Irvine	....	transportation co-captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Ana Aizenberg	....	production associate: Argentina
Mercedes Alfonsín	....	buyer: Argentina
Laurence Duval Annaud	....	advisor
Laurence Duval Annaud	....	script supervisor
Stacy Arnold	....	office assistant: Los Angeles and Argentina
Pete Athans	....	production assistant: High Himalayas, Himalaya
G.D. Bakshi	....	catering supervisor: Argentina
Celia Bannerman	....	acting coach
Jasmine Barry	....	production office coordinator: Canada
Veronique Bataille	....	assistant: Mr. Annaud, Paris/Argentina
Leo Baumgartner	....	location manager: Austria
Steve Beeson	....	production accountant: Argentina
Bi Benton	....	production office coordinator: Argentina
Barbara Berkery	....	dialogue coach: Argentina
Charles Bodycomb	....	armorer: Argentina
Philippe Boutillier	....	sculpture supervisor: Argentina
David Breashears	....	unit director: High Himalayan
Brigitte Cardinal	....	sculptor: Argentina
Elias Eljiadue Castilla	....	robes dyer: Argentina
Tenzin Chogyal	....	advisor: Tibetan religion, Argentina (as Ven. Tenzin Chogyal)
Dale Clarke	....	armorer: Argentina
Geneviève Thomas Colvin	....	assistant: Mr. Carr
Horacio Cuervo	....	unit doctor: Argentina (as Dr. Horacio Cuervo)
Susan d'Arcy	....	unit publicist: Argentina
Paul Dallanegra	....	security consultant: Argentina
Jack W. Haddox	....	production auditor (as Jack Haddox)
Tarn Harper	....	post-production accountant
Ngawang Jimpa	....	advisor: Tibetan history, Argentina (as Professor Ngawang Jimpa)
David Lindsey	....	security consultant: Argentina
Iain Lowe	....	supervising rigger: Argentina
Domenico Mancino	....	accessories specialist: Argentina
Caito Martins	....	location manager: Argentina
Rakesh Mehra	....	assistant location manager: Argentina
Catherine Moulin	....	producer: Himalaya
Robin Mounsey	....	location manager
Robin Mounsey	....	security officer
G.D. Murthi	....	production accountant: Argentina
Anne Nevin	....	production office coordinator: Argentina
Frédéric North	....	helicopter pilot: Austria (as Fred North)
Mike O'Farrell	....	catering coordinator: Argentina
Linda Pearce	....	assistant production office coordinator: Canada
Marina Peralta Ramos	....	production office coordinator: Argentina
Rakra Tethong Rinpoche	....	advisor: Tibetan tradition, Argentina
John Robertson	....	supervising rigger: Argentina
Brigitte Schmouker	....	script supervisor: second unit
Tenzin Tethong	....	advisor: Tibet
Eric Valli	....	unit director: Himalayan
Chris Vickery	....	unit nurse: Himalaya
Juan Aguirre	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Patricia Aguirre	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Dama Claire	....	production consultant (uncredited)
Carolina Cortes	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Bennett Fidlow	....	additional legal services (uncredited)
Augusto Grassi	....	jeweler (uncredited)
Augusto Grassi	....	leather work master (uncredited)
Lejla Hadzimuratovic	....	assistant to associate producer (uncredited)
Ryan R. Johnson	....	assistant to head of production (uncredited)
Ajai Kapur	....	production coordinator (uncredited)
Alejandro Levi	....	celebrity personal assistant (uncredited)
Maeve Mannion	....	assistant production accountant (uncredited)
Sandra Matossi	....	production accountant: Canada (uncredited)
Richard Morrison	....	title designer (uncredited)
Kim Smith	....	assistant production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mandalay Entertainment (presents)
• Reperage & Vanguard Films (as Reperage and Vanguard Films)
• Applecross

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors (1998) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (1998) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (1997) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Egmont Film (1998) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (1997) (UK) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (1998) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Herald Film Company (1997) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Líder Films (1998) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Nea Kinisi (1997) (Greece) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (199?) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (199?) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Entertainment (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• TriPictures (1997) (Spain) (theatrical)
• TriStar Pictures (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• AXN (2007) (Japan) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD) (superbit)
• Egmont Film (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Gativideo (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Nea Kinisi Video (1998) (Greece) (VHS)
• Nordisk Film (2000) (Sweden) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Spectra Nova (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• The Movie Channel (TMC) (2011) (USA) (TV)
• Top Tape (2000) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Top Tape (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Magic Camera Company, The

Other Companies

• Anvil Post Production  foley recording
• Gearbox Sound and Vision  Tascam DA88 recorders supplied by (uncredited)
• Goldcrest Post Production London  post-production facilities (as goldcrest post-production, london)
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation
• Lee Lighting  special thanks
• Lyps Inc.  voice casting
• Milestone Entertainment  as Milestone Productions Inc.
• Mitchell & Witchell  stock footage
• Plume Productions Ltd.  title design
• Sapex Scripts  post-production services
• Twickenham Studios  sound post-production (as Twickenham Film Studios)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violent sequences

Runtime:

136 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | German | Mandarin | Tibetan | Hindi

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS (8 channels)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 (No. 35080) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Malaysia:U | Brazil:Livre (DVD rating) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Mandalay Entertainment

Trivia:

The Tibetan city of Lhasa was recreated within the Andean foothills of Argentina.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The music of Lotte Lenya singing "Mack the Knife" while Harrer is in the British POW camp was not recorded until 1955, more than a decade after the time the scene took place.

Quotes:

Heinrich Harrer:It's strange to me that something so harmless as a jacket could symbolize such a great lie.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fight Club (1999)

Soundtrack:

Clair de Lune

A moving, well-crafted, and visually breathtaking film

First of all, Seven Years In Tibet is a very aesthetically pleasing film. The snowy Himalayas, the Tibetan villages, and the amazing costumes and religious ceremonies are all filmed beautifully, with rich colours and lighting. The music by John Williams is also excellent, and it's fascinating to hear how it blends with the unusual Tibetan music.

It's not all surface though, there's depth here too. Don't believe the negative comments about Brad Pitt's acting. Admittedly his accent slips a bit in places, but he does a great job as Heinrich, both the unpleasant, arrogant character at the beginning, and the more gentle and wise man that he becomes as the film progresses. His relationship with the young Dalai Lama (a very impressive actor) is an unusual one and refreshingly unsentimental. The film is well edited; scenes are not drawn out any longer than they need to be. As a whole, it is fast paced but also peaceful, tender and moving. You don't get bored but you're not bombarded with pointless action scenes either.

It's a pleasant surprise to see a Hollywood film where women and other cultures aren't treated as objects, and are allowed to be full, complex characters. It could be argued that this film has a Western perspective, but after all, it is adapted from a book written by a European living in Tibet, and intended for Western audiences. It treats the Tibetan culture with a great deal of respect, so I don't really see a problem with that. Similarly, those who have complained that it doesn't tell you enough about the Dalai Lama and too much about Heinrich, ultimately it is Heinrich's story, and that is its strength: that it is one man's tale, and not a political polemic. It gives you a great sense of how people's stories intersect and how the whole world is connected.

Overall, an unusual film, very involving and emotional without sentimentality, with wonderful music and outstanding cinematography. Highly recommended.