Undercover in Tibet

Prior to escaping across the mountains to India and later settling in the UK, Tash Depta filmed secretly in Tibet for three months. His aim was to capture, with director Jezza Neumann, the life of today's inhabitants of the "roof of the world", who have suffered 60 years of oppressive Chinese rule. Filming was done using hidden cameras and infra-red cameras, while interviewees had their faces covered and their voices distorted in order to avoid subsequent punishment. The results are chilling. Opponents of the regime are tortured, women forcibly sterilised and Tibetans' nomadic life brought to an end when their property is confiscated and they are herded into reservations. On top of that, the younger generations are undergoing sinicisation, forced to learn the language of their oppressors and even their history. The reason China has such an interest in a once independent kingdom is clear - Tibet possesses mineral wealth, clean glacial water and dam-powered electricity. This documentary is an alarming reminder that the young generation of Tibetans represents a source of latent resistance that could turn into violent conflict after decades of repression.