Original subtitles

Grandfather.

This is for my family.

An excellent harvest, Tsering.

How long do you think it will feed us?

A very long time.

A lifetime.

With all this we can't even feed the village for three months.

Look grandfather, it's the caravan.

The caravan.

Lhakpa.

Tinle, your son has died.

He wanted to take a different route.

He said it was a one-day shortcut.

I told him it was dangerous but he wouldn't listen.

A couple of hours later I found him. Dead.

This salt has been mixed with sand.

What are you waiting for? Take him off.

Well?

Tsering, I told you...

your father will be reborn in the kingdom Padmasambhava.

When?

It'll take a while for him to get there.

He must fly over hell before he reaches Buddha's paradise.

Everyone will have to die in the end.

For how long will we stay dead?

All that lives has to die.

It is reborn again and dies again too.

How many lives does it take to become a leader?

We have been leaders for a very long time.

You will be next.

Will you teach me what to do?

Thank you.

Lhakpa defied the mountains.

The mountains haven't done anything to him.

I know them very well. - You do, but Lhakpa doesn't.

He is my son.

He has inherited my forces.

Your pride and persistance is what you mean.

You don't know anything. Karma lied.

He has caused that accident because he wants to be the leader.

I know what I'm saying.

Who will bring us the salt now?

And what about the wheat?

Who will be taking care of the Yaks?

No leader, no land.

No woman, no husband.

My son without a father.

This is not our lucky day.

Let's try again.

This time I'll hit the target.

Karma, I have no luck today. You take the shot.

I will make a wish for you.

The Gods triumph.

Thanks to you my child will live.

You have shattered the heart of the evil spirit.

The evil spirit has died, but your daughter isn't safe yet.

Get the doctor over here.

I have more faith in you.

I've been looking everywhere.

Karma's hit the target.

Ask him to teach me how to shoot.

Come on let's go home.

Who will teach me now? - Don't worry, you're still young.

But I will become the next leader.

With daddy's bow. - I've thrown it into the river.

Don't cry.

That was a lie. It's in the house.

It's yours now.

Karma was Lhakpa's right hand man. He is the one that should be leader.

He is experienced. - He has the strength and knowledge it takes.

I will be leading the caravan.

I've done it a thousand times before.

Lhakpa is dead.

His son Tsering should take over. He is going alright.

It'll take years before he makes a good leader.

The gods are on my side.

Tinle, we have faith in you and in your experience.

But your legs they're not what they used to be.

I will take a strong man with me. He will be my support.

Karma would be best.

Karma is a traitor.

He isn't to blame for the murder of past generations.

They killed my grandfather. And now they've killed my son.

It was an accident. Karma didn't do it.

Nonsense.

Kharma was chosen by the Council. - The Council is me.

You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me.

Tinle, there is no time to find a better man.

Lama, what have you decided? - The fifteenth constellation.

The Thirteenth day, Monday, the fifteenth constellation.

Let me have a look.

The thirteenth day...

well? When do we leave?

Be patient. - It's always the same.

You are putting our lives at stake with those calculations of yours.

The twelfth or thirteenth day.

Be patient.

We were doing it this way already before you were born.

The thirteenth day, the fifteenth constellation. This is the best day.

Snow storms don't wait.

The fifteenth constellation? Isn't that later?

That's settled then.

Is it this day?

Monday, the fifteenth constellation...

I can't help you Tinle.

A bag of salt doesn't change anything.

It would be treachery if I took your offer.

Go to Karma. He's the best.

You and your 'Karma'.

Karma this... Karma that.

He will lead you into death. You're out of your mind.

You're wrong, Tinle.

Karma tried to save Lhakpa.

Karma can drop dead.

He wants to take my place. You're all trying to set me up.

Doesn't my beer taste good, Rabkie?

It does, just don't let your husband drink too much.

Tinle, let's call for a truce.

You will need me. You will not find anyone else.

I don't need you.

Why are you treating me like this?

Lhakpa was my friend.

I forbid you to say his name. The mountains have seen everything.

I will lead the caravan.

Alone you will.

No one is going with you. You haven't done this in years.

They will accept me. I was their leader before you were even born.

Tsering will be my successor before you die.

Your hate will not help your sorrow, Tinle.

The Lama's have concluded on the day of departure.

We lave in ten days.

Grandfather.

Who will take our Yaks?

Grandfather, what is wrong?

Don't worry. We'll find someone.

There's still ten days left.

Are you ignoring me?

We must obey the gods.

You don't belong in the mountains anymore.

My son has died in there. - We can't help you.

Don't force us to say no.

Grandfather.

Why do they refuse to help you?

It's not easy to take your father's place.

Have you forgotten the way home?

It's been a while indeed.

Every time you want to change your destiny you come to me.

Come here, boy.

From now on you will be called Pasang.

My name is Tsering.

From now on you're Pasang.

The lama's have called me Tsering.

Evil spirits are on their way. They're jealous at us.

We have a lot of Yaks.

If we give you a blacksmith's name they will not harm you.

Your father is dead. It is your task to replace him.

I will help you.

What are you doing, Karma?

I'm leaving.

Now? You can't leave now.

Winter is coming.

Do you believe in those calculations? - It is the Gods.

They can say whatever they want.

Are you leaving all by yourself? - Me and my Yaks.

Join me.

My father would kill me.

Who's carrying the salt? You or your father?

He is too old. We'll join Tinle.

Yeah, Tinle.

Speaking of young men.

Come here.

Take Tinle to Norbou.

Grandfather Tinle, come with me.

Is this color right?

The blue isn't as clear as it was yesterday. Watch closely.

We'll never finish this in time.

That is up to the Gods. We do not determine when we're done.

We have no influence on it.

The fresco knows when it is done.

What is it?

Why are you here?

Norbou...

Father.

Karma, teach me how to use the bow.

First you have to get strong arms. It's very important. Do you understand?

Come.

We leave tomorrow morning. Come with me.

But it's Before the set date! - There will be snowstorms soon.

You want to leave before Tinle don't you? - Let's go together.

Come on, Tinle can't do this on his own.

I wanted to join forces but he refused.

You ask him. Where is he?

He's in the monastery.

He's getting Norbou.

Why would he do that?

He doesn't know what he's doing.

He's nothing but grief. - And what's tormenting you?

It is impossible.

Karma was my brother's best friend.

Yes, but things have changed.

Your brother is dead and I can't look after the Yaks alone.

Will you lead the caravan? - I have no other choice.

Why? Choose someone else.

This man is you, my second son.

I don't know anything about the mountains, the Yaks or the salt.

You'll learn. - No.

I've been here since I was eight years old. I can read, know how to pray and paint.

You wanted me to become a lama.

I am no man to lead a caravan.

You have enough clothes and food. We don't.

You sent me here as a kid.

And now you want to send me off into the mountains.

You are afraid. - Not afraid enough to refuse.

You are no longer Lhakpa's brother.

Say your prayers if that is all you can do.

I'll bring Tsering along. He at least isn't afraid.

Do we leave tomorrow?

Go to sleep. It'll be a long journey.

My wife wants to say goodbye tonight. - Enjoy it.

Pema.

Are you there?

Do you remember?

Our hideout when we were kids. - Did you call me just for that?

You can't leave.

Not before Tinle has returned.

Why not? It is Tinle's law.

No, it's the Dolpo's.

Tinle isn't the Dolpo.

He will take the decisions for himself, you and the others.

Pema.

Go into mourning.

Come with us.

And bring Tsering.

We will add your Yaks to the troop.

What will you do if you can't sell the salt?

Tinle will return.

Tinle is old.

He can't think straight anymore.

I'm not going with you.

Pema, I leave tomorrow at dawn.

Are you ready? Hurry up.

We're ready. Come.

I'm ready too. - So are we. Let's go.

Karma, your father.

Karma, all our sons leave together with you.

I didn't force anyone to come with me.

I can't support Tinle.

I wanted you as our leader, but not like that.

I have no other choice.

If you go sooner the gods will be against you.

You will be banished from the Dolpo. - I am taking the Dolpo with me.

You are no longer part of this.

Tinle has returned.

Do you see my son? - No.

I see Tinle.

Norbou isn't with him.

What's happened? - Are you alone?

Why? Everyone's here. - Karma and the others have left.

Where is the salt? - I've got mine.

Me too.

My sons have all my salt.

What are they doing with our salt?

Same as always.

We're leaving on the set date. - Tinle, we're too old.

I see a couple of tough and cooperative men.

Chopga, Paljor, Tensing, we'll make it together.

Tinle, it's been years. We can't do this anymore.

The gods are on our side, the mountains our allies.

In here we will die of embarrassment.

Tinle's right.

Karma.

You did it. - We did this together.

Long live Karma.

We'll go, just like in the old days...

My old Ngeunpo.

We'll show them.

Father, there is another bag inside. Do you need it?

Yes, bring it to me.

Pasang, stop that, for Christ's sake.

The salt. Quick.

We must not waste it.

Hurry.

Lama Norbou.

What are you doing here? Go home.

My son is a member of the caravan now.

This one isn't properly attached. It's going to fall off if you're not careful.

Give me a hand.

Tie a knot in it. Come on.

The blessing will be later.

First we get this knot right.

Is it OK now? - Yes it'll do.

Put your boots on, boy.

Don't worry. - Winter is coming.

You are all old men.

What if it's going to snow? - Don't worry. Pasang will be fine.

We'll take good care of our child.

But you're the child.

Hurry up. Move it.

Come on. Move.

Tinle.

We haven't been here for so long. - You can say that again.

I'm exhausted.

Are you my father's brother? - yes. Do I look like you imagined?

Father says you have been locked up for years.

A monastery is not a prison. - You weren't locked up?

When you say your prayers the soul leaves the body.

This is pure freedom.

Where does it leave the body then?

The yaks are gone.

Old Ngeunpo, run like in the old days.

Go.

Easy, you're scaring them.

Don't wave your arms and legs like that. - Feel the rhythm of the Yaks.

Don't make any sudden moves.

If you pray to the gods like this you'll scare them.

Aren't you tired? - I'm okay.

I've heard you're a good painter.

No, but my frescoes are good.

My father hasn't changed a bit.

When he screams, man and animal bow their heads and walk past.

But where to?

There they are, back there.

What's happened? - Suddenly he fell.

The gods are having their revenge. They're sending evil spirits down.

The gods have left us. - Karma, what shall we do?

This is your fault.

Here is his poison.

This is our evil spirit.

Whoever's scared tell me, but don't blame me for it.

Guide the Yaks over here.

Grandfather, my feet hurt.

Do we have to go this far tomorrow?? - Yes, and the days after that too.

Eventually you will develop corns under your feet.

You will be a real Dolpopa.

The beginning is tough. - It stays that way.

Stop whining.

Karma's got a four day lead.

We must overtake them before the pass.

Buddhas of the three era, Padmasambhava.

Rid us of all obstacles, internal, external or hidden.

Make our wishes come true.

I'm not walking any further. And I'm hungry. - Just a little bit.

I'm hungry.

Stop. Everyone. Pasang is hungry.

Tinle, look, they're tired. They've stopped.

What's the matter?

I want to go home.

What do we eat when we don't sell out salt?

Your grandfather has never given up.

Paljor, explain to him...

that a true Dolpopa never gives up. - I'm too tired for that anyway.

It's because of us you're getting more and more behind by the day.

Me and Pasang will go back.

No you won't.

What are you going to do in the village?

Pasang belongs here. - He's still a child.

Yesterday he was one.

Let's sit down.

Tinle said we would stop by that mountain.

which mountain?

Can you see the shadow on the left side? There by that mountain ridge.

Next to that ravine?

No, next to that brown mountain.

The one in the sunlight?

What sun? - What mountain? They're all the same.

You're tired. Lean on me.

I'm younger than you are.

My Yak is getting old.

We've been walking for eight days now.

Eight days?

It's already been ten days since we left.

What's he hoping for?

We'll never gain on Kharma.

He's crazy.

We'll die in here if we're not careful.

We have to end this. - You tell him.

Me? You're his best friend?

What is that?

A tree.

Will we be seeing trees on our way?

An entire forest.

Have you ever seen a tree?

No.

So how can you draw them? - My teacher taught me.

how large is a tree?

When you're on top you can see far , like on a mountain.

Like a leader. - What do you mean?

Like grandfather.

He can see far.

I'm exhausted.

Wanneer zijn we er?

I'm so tired.

Grandfather.

I'm so tired.

We walk and walk and walk but we'll never get there in time.

We'll never catch up with Karma.

Be a sensible man. The boy is exhausted.

If we die it'll be your fault.

We've always helped each other. We must succeed.

Succeed? At what?

We have no other choice.

Grandfather.

Behind that mountain once leopards got two of my Yaks.

Ngeunpo's Yaks.

The screaming scares away the leopards. - Not just the leopards.

The caravan. It's Karma and the others.

That's not the caravan. It's the pilgrims.

What are they?

Religious people that walk through mountains.

Where are you from? - Mount Kailash.

How far is Shey Riwo Dupta? - Less than ten days from here.

Where are you going? - To the wheatlands.

Have you seen the caravan? - Yes, and its two hundred Yaks.

When?

About three, four.. No five days ago.

Can't be more than three days ago.

They were young and walking at a fast pace.

I thought we could make it.

We can't gain on them. Karma knows the mountains well.

We'll never make it.

Tinle is too stubborn. But the mountains have been kind.

In one week we could be home safely again.

The mountains are our home. We live for the Yaks and the salt.

It's insane to try and gain on Karma.

You would be able to finish your fresco. - That can wait.

Show me your hands.

Why did you come with us?

When you left the monastery...

I remembered the words of one of my teachers.

'If you have to choose which way to go, take the most difficult way.'

The most difficult way...

The hardest way.

The hardest way?

Some more tea? Haven't you had enough yet?

Labrang, don't tell me you didn't bring any beer.

You've forbidden me to bring beer. - And you listened to that?

Too bad, we have to drink Karma's then.

We will take the lake route tomorrow.

For god's sake, Tinle.

The devil's path?

I walked the path long ago once and I'm still here.

Do evil spirits live there? - If we make it...

We will be ahead of them by the time we. reach the pass -You go. I'm leaving

You just go. And keep your frontdoor locked tightly.

Tinle, you're asking too much of us.

What do you want to eat this winter?

Salt?

I'm going to get our wheat. We have no other choice.

We will be facing evil spirits.

In the flesh.

Enough praying. We're leaving.

Hold the Yaks. - What's wrong?

Part of the path fell down. - Stop.

We can't pass here.

What are you doing? - The Yaks can't turn around and go back.

We must go through.

Give me that stone.

Not that one. A smaller one.

Where are you going? You're going to fall!

I want to help grandfather.

Be careful. - Of course I will.

You can't pass. Stay there.

Stop them.

Will this be strong enough?

Are you asking me?

Try it.

Come, Ngeunpo.

If you can make it all Yaks will.

The path is safe now.

Tundrup built it.

Just like your fence.

Get the Yaks coming one by one.

Oh God.

Careful. There is just enough room.

Step by step. Give me your hand.

We've made it.

One Yak and two bags of salt. It is the price the spirits asked.

Look, more pilgrims.

They have Yaks with them.

Are you serious? - It's a caravan.

It's pilgrims. - No, it's a caravan.

There is a Lama there. - It look like that's Ngeunpo.

It's Tinle Yaks.

It's Tinle.

And Pasang, Chopga en Norbou. They're all there.

Tinle is here.

Karma, Tinle is here.

We'll make camp there.

Welcome Tinle. Join us for a drink.

We'll stay here for two days. Let us take care of your Yaks.

They're already unloading them.

I didn't know you were this close behind us. I would've waited.

I haven't been following you. I left at the date we set.

Bu that's four days after we left.

Four days?

No one can be that fast.

It's impossible they left so late.

He's done the impossible.

Ling's prophesy. When there's good weather ahead the salt crackles.

When the weather's going to be bad it's as silent as the grave.

I don't hear anything.

The salt is silent. - Bad weather is coming.

We're leaving tomorrow. - It didn't crackle.

The salt didn't crackle.

Tinle...

we have been walking for two weeks straight.

Our men and our Yaks are exhausted.

We were going to rest for two days.

The grass is good here and the sky is blue.

The sky is playing games with us.

The salt didn't crackle.

We must cross the pass now.

We can't put our lives at stake for a handful of salt.

This salt has helped us for centuries.

Are you listening to him?

Salt can't talk.

It's nonsense.

You must take the Gods seriously.

If we survive this we have ourselves to thank for it.

Ourselves. Not the Gods.

Please understand.

You are a leader, but not his son.

Sometimes I wonder if Lhakpa... - He didn't want you to come.

I wanted to follow him.

I should have persisted.

Don't blame yourself for it.

Do you see that star?

If you look closely you'll see that it beats just like a heart.

It is this star you must learn to find.

There are so many stars.

Yes, but this one star...

is ours.

This is the star that will lead us to the land of the wheat.

Our grand-grandfathers already followed this star.

Where is Pasang?

Have you seen Pasang? - No.

Are you coming with him?

Come with us. You won't survive the snow storm.

You will die here.

Where is that snow storm?

Have you seen the stars?

Tinle is wrong.

He know these mountains.

Come with us. Do it for me.

You have to choose now.

Either you come with Tinle or you're staying with me.

You're just like him. All you ever think of is yourself.

And what about you? When will you start thinking of yourself?

Karma.

Pasang.

Let him, father.

Stay out of this.

So should you.

Come with us. - I can't.

Come with us, everyone together.

Help him up.

We're taking the salt.

Tinle's going to get us all killed.

Aren't you cold?

Tinle, let's stop. We'll never make it across.

We can't even see where the path is.

We must face that storm. - Let's wait for it to pass.

There is enough food for four days. If we go back we'll all die.

I am Tinle. Master of the mountains. - Father...

Are you alright, father?

Don't listen to them. keep going, even though you're going only slowly.

Do not make camp before you reach the four Chorten.

Why?

Keep on walking. I'm going to see if anyone was left behind.

Grandfather.

Straight into the mountains, boy.

Have you seen my father? - No. I thought he was with you?

Father...

Tinle...

If we're not careful we'll get lost too.

We have to keep searching. He's got lost in the dark.

There.

Father...

He saw the storm in the clear blue sky.

I didn't see anything. I walked straight into the trap.

If you'd come with us you wouldn't have saved him.

Did I save him or did the mountains spare him?

You don't understand.

He will take everything from you.

You're the leader.

Don't think like that father.

I'm not a leader.

I'm a painter, a son who helped his father out.

And Pasang?

Pasang has made his decision. Everything will be alright.

Let them.

Are you going shooting? - Learn how to saddle your Yak.

Wear this or you will be blinded.

And you'll cry.

The boy is in good hands.

It's up to you now.

Don't forget...

a leader guides his people...

but receives his orders from the gods.

Don't you ever forget.

I dreamt that you were my father.

You're too much like me for me to be your father...

for you to be my son.

Do you think I've never wanted to defy the Lamas?

A true leader starts by being disobedient.

The Gods triumph.

What are you doing?

Put me down. I'm staying here.

We will look for herbs to cure you down in the valley.

You want to cure me?

I'm not ill. I'm old.

Leave him here. He belongs here, in these mountains.

Chopga's right.

It's what he wants.

Karma, you will have to be their leader.

Just go.

Take good care of Pasang.

You've gotten behind too much already because of me.

We're almost there.

I can't leave you behind when I've just found you.

We've always been connected.

We've always wanted the same.

Tinle, please don't die.

Let him go.

He's going to join my father in Padmasambhava's paradise.

I've learned so much.

From you, my father Tinle, my brother Lhakpa...

From you, my nephew Pasang of you, Pema...

and from you, Karma.

This fresco is for you. It's finished.

It tells a story.

The story of Pasang...

The youth of a leader.

The Gods triumph.