I had a conversation with Makoto Sasa about her film, Fire Under the Snow, which tells the story of Palden Gyatso, a Tibetan Buddhist monk who was held as a political prisoner by the Chinese government for thirty-three years. Click here to learn more about Fire Under the Snow and to view clips of the movie.
Q: The Tibetan cause has been talked about before, but this film is really personal, highlighting one man’s life. What did you want to express to the world through this film?
A: There have been many films about Tibet. But this is the story of one man who survived thirty-three years and his resilience, his willpower, and his spiritual sense of never giving up. Through his life, the Tibetan cause comes through.
Q: Explain the limitations in shooting this particular film.
A: We shot much of his life afterward [when he escaped imprisonment] because we did not have much footage from Tibet—there are no images of the prisons because this is an ongoing cause. China is very protective of any material that goes out, so we had to be creative. I wanted to shoot his life in India, his room, how he wakes up, walks, how he meditates …There are many scenes of him inside his home. He stays inside to perfect himself but he goes outside; he’d do anything for the cause, he’s very outgoing that way. But inside his home, he’s still dealing with the memories. I wanted to show him remembering the atrocities.
Q: Palden Gyatso was starved, beaten, humiliated, and tortured, as were thousands of others. What do you think helped him survive all those years, while so many others died?
A: His faith in Buddhism. Karma, a Buddhist belief, played a large part. He did not think of life as “why am I suffering so much?” He was trained to think that everything that happens in his life is due to karma, what you’ve done in your past life. Whatever you do has an effect … everything connects to everything. Second, he had strong will and courage—as a person. Not because he was a monk, but because of who he is …
Q: In 1987, Gyatso was electrocuted by a cattle prod. In the film, the narrator mentions that at that same time, she was just a school girl with ordinary concerns. Explain the significance of the narrator’s comment.
A: I was born in Japan and was raised in a middle class family and was given what I was needed. I always daydreamed as a child. I always dreamed of meeting interesting people from all over the world. That dream led me to moving to New York. On the next level, I was always interested in Tibetan Buddhism … But when I worked on a documentary on Tibetan Buddhists—and saw their suffering—I started crying. It totally made sense. It dawned on me what Buddhism was truly about and how it appeals to me … I found a way to connect myself … giving up your ego, and surrendering to whatever surrounds you. From that moment I fell in love with Tibetan Buddhism and I always wanted to know more …
Q: What does “fire under the snow” mean?
A: The fire is the hunger or passion for getting independence. It can be interpreted many different ways. Their country [Tibet] is always associated with snow. His hunger, his passion, and love for his country. It’s a metaphor for who he is and the situation happening in Tibet …
Q: What are the particular challenges in making this film?
A: Editing, making the right structure. We struggled with how to tell the story simply because we had no footage from the prison years ... Financing is also hard. As an independent filmmaker, you always have to ask people for things. It’s all a learning experience. I nearly lost much of my footage at one point … But every time I have a challenge, I think of Palden!
