Jinpa

On the path of life, sometimes we meet someone whose dreams overtake our own to the point that they converge. This is a story of revenge and redemption. On an isolated road passing through the vast barren plains of Tibet, a truck driver who has accidentally run over a sheep chances upon a young man who is hitching a ride. As they drive and chat, the truck driver notices that his new friend has a silver dagger strapped to his leg; he comes to understand that this man is out to kill someone who wronged him earlier in life. As he drops the hitchhiker off at a fork in the road, little does the truck driver realize that their short time together has changed everything, and that their destinies are inexorably intertwined.

Directed by Pema Tseden. Produced by Jacky Pang and Wong Kar-Wai.

Writer and director Pema Tseden (1969-2023) is widely recognized as the leading filmmaker of a newly emerging Tibetan cinema and the first director in China to film his movies entirely in the Tibetan language. Tseden has published more than 50 short stories and novels both in Tibetan and Chinese; his work has won numerous wards including the Drang-char (sbrang-char) Tibetan Literature Prize and has been translated into languages English, French, and German.

Co-presented by Bay Area Chinese Culture Salon (BACCS), our tribute to the recently deceased Tibetan New Wave pioneer Pema Tseden shows off the thoughtful nuance of his range by pairing the stylish existential road movie Jinpa with the atmospheric neorealist dramedy Tharlo.

General admission is $14. Both shows are free or discounted for Roxie members. Get a Pema Tseden Tribute pass and see both films for only $22! If you purchase a double feature pass, this will be available for pick up at the box office on August 13.