The Search (2009 film)

2009 Chinese film

The Search
Soul Searching

Traditional Chinese| 尋找智美更登
Simplified Chinese| 寻找智美更登
Hanyu Pinyin| Xénzhǎo Zhìmeĭ Gēngdēng
Directed by| Pema Tseden
Written by| Pema Tseden
Produced by| Sangye Gyantso
Pema Tseden
Starring| Zong Zhi
Manla Jiepu
Dobe Dorje
Drolma Gyab
Lumo Tso
Cinematography| Sonthar Gyal
Edited by| Hai-ling Chen
Benjamin Illos
Xing Zhou
Music by| Dege Cairang

Production
company

Himalaya Audio & Visual Culture Communication

Release date

* 11 August 2009 (2009-08-11) (Locarno International Film Festival)

Running time

| 112 minutes
Country| China
Language| Tibetan

The Search or Soul Searching (Chinese: 寻找智美更登) is a 2009 Tibetan romance film written and directed by Pema Tseden.[1] The Search is the first-ever film made in Western China's Tibet Autonomous Region to have been shot entirely with a Tibetan crew and in the Tibetan language. The film picks up the story of a photographer and a director travels from village to village looking for actors to star in a film based on the Tibetan opera Drimé Kunden, a legendary account of a prince who selflessly gives away his children and his own eyes to those in need.[2][3] The film premiered at Locarno International Film Festival on August 11, 2009.[4] The Search won Special Jury Award at the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival and was nominated for Golden Goblet.[5]

## Plot

[edit]

A boss leads a director and a photographer to Tibet to look for an actor to star in a film based on the Tibetan opera Drimé Kunden, a legendary account of a prince who selflessly gives away his children and his own eyes to those in need. In order to find a suitable actor, they visits many Tibetan villages, towns and Townships, and monasteries. In a Tibetan village, director chose a girl who played Drimé Kunden's concubine, but the girl has covered her face, and she doesn't want anyone to see her face. The girl asks to follow them to find her former boyfriend, the director answers her request. Along the way, the boss tells the story of his first love. At last, the girl leaves her former boyfriend. The film crew continues to search for a suitable actor.

## Cast

[edit]

* Zong Zhi
* Manla Jiepu
* Dobe Dorje
* Drolma Gyab
* Lumo Tso

## Production

[edit]

This film was shot in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

## Accolades

[edit]

Date | Award | Category | Result | Notes

|
|
|
|

2009 | 12th Shanghai International Film Festival | Golden Goblet | Soul Searching | Nominated |
Special Jury Award | Won |
7th Bangkok International Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize | Won |
62nd Locarno International Film Festival | Best Film | Nominated |
25th Warsaw International Film Festival | Nominated |
3rd Seoul Digital Film Festival | Nominated |
53rd London International Film Festival | Nominated |
Nantes Three Continents Film Festival | Nominated |
16th Beijing University Film Festival | Nominated |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Search, tourné au Tibet par Pema Tseden, présente de manière subtile la nostalgie d'un monde. L'analyse d'un autre réalisateur, qui, lui, a choisi l'exil". courrierinternational. 2011-07-21.
2. ^ "Pema Tseden: Tibetan Films for Tibetan People". Asiasociety. 2010-04-10.
3. ^ 万玛才旦 虚构手法表达新现实主义情感. Chinatibetnews (in Chinese). 2015-06-30.
4. ^ 《寻找智美更登》入围第62届瑞士洛迦诺电影节. Sina (in Chinese). 2009-07-17.
5. ^ 《寻找智美更登》获上海国际电影节评委会大奖. Tencent (in Chinese). 2009-06-21.

## External links

[edit]

* The Search at Douban (in Chinese)
* The Search at Mtime.com (archived) (in Chinese)
* The Search at IMDb
* The Search at AllMovie
* The Search at the TCM Movie Database

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