Kundun Page #2

Synopsis: The Tibetans refer to the Dalai Lama as 'Kundun', which means 'The Presence'. He was forced to escape from his native home, Tibet, when communist China invaded and enforced an oppressive regime upon the peaceful nation of Tibet. The Dalai Lama escaped to India in 1959 and has been living in exile in Dharamsala ever since.
Director(s): Martin Scorsese
Production: Buena Vista Internationa
  Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 8 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.0
Metacritic:
74
Rotten Tomatoes:
76%
PG-13
Year:
1997
134 min
1,082 Views


MOTHER:

What is the harm?

The Father reluctantly gets up and gives his seat to Lhamo.

Lhamo settles and waits for his Mother to hand him his bowl

of tsampa. He bestows a most beautiful smile on his family.

EXT. COURTYARD DAY

The Father is leaving the yard with a short string of horses

when there is a sudden commotion.

The CHINESE GOVERNOR is passing through this little village.

He is a ferocious looking man, dressed in ornate brocade,

his horse eguipped with tack that looks like armor. He is

surrounded by a dozen Chinese soldiers, all on huge horses,

ruling the road, kicking up mud.

Lhamo's Father stops. He holds still. He looks to the

house.

The Mother is holding the children against her in the

doorway. Quiet. Watching.

The Governor and his entourage move on. When they are out

of sight, Lhamo's Father makes his departure.

EXT. COURTYARD DAY

Lhamo straddles the window sill, slapping his bottom as if

he were a horse, shouting:

LHAMO:

I go away.

Look, mama, I go away.

Far, far, far.

His Mother is making bread in the kitchen.

MOTHER:

Oh, no. Where will he go?

LHAMO:

Far, far away.

INT. KITCHEN DUSK

Lhamo is playing a game with pebbles on the raised, wooden

platform in the kitchen. The fire is lit. He is alone.

The dog begins to bark.

MOTHER (OC)

Good day.

MAN (OC)

Good day.

MOTHER (OC)

Please, come in, so cold.

MAN (OC)

We are traveling to Lhasa. May

we...?

MOTHER (OC)

Of course, please, this way.

Your servant may use the kitchen.

MAN (OC)

Thank you.

A middle-aged man, the SERVANT, wearing heavy, ragged

clothes and wrapped boots, enters the kitchen.

Lhamo slides over so that the man can sit on the platform

beside him. The man picks up a few pebbles and drops them -

he knows the game.

We recognize this servant. His name is KEUSTANG RINPOCHE.

He is one of the monks we saw at the Oracle lake, the one

with the mesmerizing eyes. Keustang Rinpoche is the Lama of

Sera Monastery.

Lhamo sees a dark brown rosary around the Servant's neck and

immediately pulls at the string of beads.

LHAMO:

Mine.

The Servant takes the rosary off and gives it to the boy.

Lhamo hangs the string of beads around his own neck. The

Servant makes a move to take back the rosary, but Lhamo

resists.

LHAMO:

Mine.

SERVANT:

Mine.

LHAMO:

Please.

SERVANT:

I will give it to, if you can

tell me who I am.

Lhamo looks up, into the man's piercing, black eyes.

LHAMO:

The Lama of Sera.

You come.

The Mother enters and immediately sees the rosary around her

son's neck. She gives it back to the Servant.

MOTHER:

Lhamo, no.

Lhamo goes back to his game. The Mother hands the tired man

a slice of bread and a steaming cup of tea. The man's

hands are shaking. He cannot look the woman in the eye.

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Melissa Mathison

Melissa Marie Mathison was an American film and television screenwriter and an activist for Tibetan freedom. more…

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