Seven Years in Tibet - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts

[discussimdb]

Fan of Seven Years in Tibet or just want to share your movie knowledge? This topic is dedicated to all trivia and questions related to Seven Years in Tibet

[miriam]

Because of their roles in the movie, David Thewlis and Brad Pitt were banned from entering China. Brad Pitt did visit China in 2016 to promote a movie.

[maureen]

Jetsun Pema is the real-life sister of The Dalai Lama. In this film she plays the mother of The Dalai Lama and hence her own mother.

[javier]

When questioned about his stance on the China/Tibet problem by Time magazine, Brad Pitt replied "Who cares what I think China should do about Tibet? I'm a fucking actor... I'm a grown man who puts on make-up".

[cassandra]

Heinrich Harrer's book 'Seven Years in Tibet' was filmed twice, first in a documentary in 1956 by Hans Nieter and second in this 1997 film by Jean-Jacques Annaud.

[beth]

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

[ronnie]

Yaks had to be imported to the filming location in Argentina. Each yak had its own passport, with photographs and teeth imprints.

[cassandra]

14-year-old Dalai Lama is played by actor Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk in the movie, while 8-year-old Dalai Lama is played by Jamyang's younger brother Sonam Wangchuk. They are sons of a Bhutan diplomat.

[jamie]

When Heinrich confronts Ngawang, the director didn't tell BD Wong that the script called for Brad Pitt to throw him into the dirt. Wong's reaction is completely authentic.

[jesus]

Richard Gere was considered for the role of Heinrich Harrer. Though he eventually did not appear in the film, Gere did a favor to the producers and sent the script to The Dalai Lama in order to gain his approval. The Dalai Lama indeed read the screenplay and was pleased with it.

[bryan]

In 1945, when he first met the 14th Dalai Lama, Heinrich Harrer was 34 years old. Actor Brad Pitt portraying Heinrich Harrer was also 34 years old in 1997 when the movie was set.

[charlie]

The government of the People's Republic of China condemned the film upon release. They claimed that the Communist Chinese military officers were intentionally depicted as impolite and arrogant. They also objected to the positive depiction of the Dalai Lama.

[claude]

Director Jean-Jacques Annaud sent a team to Tibet to secretly film footage. About 20 minutes of it made it into the finished film. This was kept secret even after the film's premiere and not known until summer 1999.

[caroline]

Brad Pitt was paid $8 million for his work in this film.

[dustin]

Brad Pitt's Austrian accent was cited by Empire magazine as being third in the list of all-time worst movie accents.

[riley]

Heinrich Harrer and Dalai Lama (14th) share the same birthday.