‘Windhorse’
back in isle
film festival

The acclaimed pro-Tibet picture
had been pulled from the event
over a dispute involving China

By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

"Windhorse," the acclaimed pro-Tibetan film pulled last week by its director from the upcoming Hawaii International Film Festival, will be shown after all.

"Windhorse" director Paul Wagner this weekend notified festival officials that he will let his 97-minute anti-Chinese-government film be shown during the Nov. 6-19 event.

Wagner pulled the movie about Tibet's political problems with China when festival officials removed "Windhorse" from a top award competition, the Golden Maile, for fear of reprisals by the Chinese government.

China earlier this year denounced "Windhorse" and has threatened officials of at least two film festivals -- Washington, D.C., and Toronto -- that they would prevent scheduled Chinese films and filmmakers from appearing at the events.

Then rumors recently reached HIFF officials after "Windhorse's" Golden Maile nomination that several Chinese films -- as many as six, including four world premieres -- might be pulled by the government if the film was shown here or nominated for a major award, said executive director Christian Gaines.

Wagner today said he hopes the focus about "Windhorse" moves from the recent controversy to "the policies and behavior of (China)." One reason he reversed his decision was because the publicity "dramatically altered the situation, drawing a large amount of attention" to the issues addressed by "Windhorse."

"In fact there has been more attention that it would have received if it had been retained by the festival as one of the (Golden Maile) nominees," he said.

On Oahu, "Windhorse" will be shown just once, at the Hawaii Theatre on Nov. 12 at 3:30 p.m., before being shown on the neighbor islands. "Windhorse" will be shown here even though it still remains out of the Golden Maile competition, originally a major sore point with Wagner.

The film still is eligible for the Audience Award voted on by the general public.

Wagner said he will attend the Oahu showing only because of other engagements.

The "villain" in the controversy "is the People's Republic of China."

"These are the people who by their policies are creating problems for me, festival director Christian Gaines and people who want to see all the films of the Pacific Rim," Wagner said. "The it was stricken as a contender for a Golden Maile, the event's top award.

Festival officials believed they had explained to Wagner that his film still would be shown here even though it was not eligible for a Golden Maile.

Gaines had said that losing "Windhorse" was a misunderstanding on both sides because he didn't make it clear to Wagner that the film could still be shown at the festival but not eligible for the award.

Filmed in Tibet and Nepal, "Windhorse" is a contemporary story of three young Tibetans who in their search for freedom and fulfillment come face to face with their Chinese oppressors.

"Windhorse" won two awards at this summer's Santa Barbara International Film Festival -- Best U.S. Independent Film and Best Director.

"Windhorse" will be in limited release next year, and Wagner hopes the film reaches Hawaii.