We missed watching “The Unwinking Gaze” earlier due to our heavy work schedule. A friend had lent the DVD to us but needed it back sooner than expected. The last time we checked during a local sale, the price was still unwinkingly expensive. But after several ‘obstacles’, we finally got to watch it.
The film’s style is like reality TV, where the cameraman follows his subject – His Holiness the Dalai Lama over three years to reveal the situations and reactions HHDL faces day in and day out. A self-proclaimed simple monk with divine-like expectations from his people he is. But behind all this, is extraordinary patience and compassion armed with unprecedented methods to deal with today’s politicking world. His Holiness is still able to handle everything in his stride, and manages not to lose his cool or his witty sense of humour. That I really have to take my hat off. It is almost unbelievable for me to think anyone could shoulder such a mission impossible (made so by the overly suspicious Chinese government) without ending up in war. Deep kudos to him!
It would be totally frustrating and exasperating for me if I’m in his situation, where there are no visible practical solutions to go forward, while going backwards just isn’t an option at all. It’s almost painful to watch what he had to go through, and is still going through. If I had watched this documentary before I met him in Dharamsala, I think I would probably cry in front of him. Just as he would not abandon his people and his calling, I sincerely wish that all the Tibetan people will patiently and unwinkingly stand by him.
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