Original subtitles

Grandpa! Grandpa!

All this is for our family!

Tsering! It's a good harvest.

In your opinion,

for how many days

will this be enough?

Many days. Many.

A whole lifetime!

With “all this” as you say,

we don't even have enough to feed the village for three months.

Grandpa. The caravan!

The caravan!

Lhakpal!

Tinle, your son is dead.

He wanted to take another path.

He said: “We can gain one day that way.”

I warned him it was dangerous. He didn't listen.

A few hours later, I found him dead...

This salt's mixed with earth!

What are you waiting for to unload?

Well?

Tsering, I told you.

Your father will be reborn in the realm of Padmasambhava.

When?

Give him time to get there.

He will fly over the hells,

then reach the paradise of Buddha.

We all have to die.

How long do we stay dead?

Everything that lives must die,

then be reborn and die again.

How many lives does it take to become chief?

We've been chiefs for a long time now.

I's your turn next.

Will you teach me?

Thank you.

Lhakpa defied the mountains.

The mountains did nothing to my son!

- I know them well. - It was Lhakpa, not you.

He's my son.

He has inherited my strength!

Your pride! Your stubbornness!

You don't know anything. Karma lied!

He caused an accident to become chief.

I know what I'm saying.

Who'll take the salt now?

Who'll bring back the grain?

Who'll take care of the yaks?

No land without a leader.

And a woman without a husband?

And my son without a father?

I's not our day today.

Let's try again.

I'll hit the target this time.

Karma...

I'm unlucky today. Shoot it yourself.

I'll make a wish for you.

The gods are victorious!

Thanks to you, my child will live!

You pierced the demon's heart. Can I keep the arrow?

My arrow has killed the demon. But your daughter isn't safe yet.

Call the doctor.

I trust you more than doctors.

I've been looking everywhere for you.

Look at Karma's arrow: it hit the target.

Ask him to teach me.

Come on, let's go home.

Who'll teach me?

Don't worry, you have time.

But it's my turn to be chief.

- Chief? - With dad's bow!

No, I threw it in the river.

Don't cry.

I lied to you. It's back at the house.

I'll give it to you.

Karma was Lhakpa's helper. He must succeed him.

He has experience...

I'll lead the caravan!

I've led thousands of them!

Lhakpa is dead,

his son Tsering must succeed him.

He'll come with me.

It will be years before Tsering can guide us.

The gods will give me all the time I need.

Tinle, we trust in you,

in your experience.

But your legs are like mine. They won't carry you like they used to.

I'll take a strong man with me.

He'll be my arms and legs.

The best man is Karma.

Karma is a traitor!

Karma has nothing to do with a crime committed generations ago.

They killed my grandfather!

And now my son!

It was an accident.

It wasn't Karma.

How do you know?

The council has named Karma.

I'm the council!

You all owe your presence here to me!

Tinle, you have very little time to find a better man than Karma.

What's the result, Lama?

The 15th constellation...

The 13th day, Monday, the 15th constellation...

- Yes. - That's it. Let's see.

The 13th day...

Well? When do we leave?

- Karma, wait a little! - Always the same.

You're betting on our lives with these endless calculations.

The 12th day, the 13th...

Wait a little.

The stars determined caravan departures before you were even born.

The 13th day, the 15th constellation...

That should be the perfect day.

The storms won't wait.

The 15th constellation?

It doesn't occur later?

Right, that's done.

Is this day on it?

Monday, 15th constellation...

I can't help you, Tinle.

A sack of salt won't help.

If I accept your offer, I'll be lying.

Karma is the best. He's the one you need.

You keep saying “Karma”!

You're obsessed by him.

He'll lead you to your deaths! You're mad!

You're wrong, Tinle.

Lhakpa lost his way. Karma tried to save him.

Karma can go to hell!

He wants to take my place. You're all trying to fool me!

Rapkie, you don't like my beer?

It's good.

But don't let your husband have too much!

Tinle.

Let's join forces.

You need me. You won't find anyone else.

I don't need you.

Tell me why you hate me.

Everyone knows Lhakpa was my friend.

Never utter his name in my presence!

The mountains saw you.

Scum! I'll lead the caravan.

You'll lead it alone then.

No one will go with you.

- You haven't led one for years. - They'll follow me.

I led them before you were born.

And you'll see Tsering succeed me before you die.

Hatred has never eased grief.

The lamas have set the date!

We have to leave in ten days!

Grandpa!

Who'll take our yaks?

Grandpa...

Do you have problems?

Don't worry, we'll find someone.

We have ten days left.

Are you ignoring me?

You know we must obey the gods.

Your place isn't in the mountains anymore.

- My son died there! - But we can't help you. No one can.

Don't force us to say no.

Grandpa...

Why don't they want to help you?

You think it's easy to replace your father?

My friend, do you remember the last time you came here?

It was long ago.

Whenever you want to force the hand of fate, you come to me.

Son, come here.

From today on, you will be called Pasang.

My name's Tsering!

Well, it's Pasang now.

Tsering! The lamas gave me that name.

Demons dwell on the road south. They're jealous of us:

we have many yaks.

With a blacksmith's name, you'll be mocked but spared.

Your father is dead.

It's your task to replace him.

I'll help you.

What are you doing, Karma?

I'm leaving.

You're leaving? But we can't yet.

Winter is approaching.

You believe the calculations?

There are the gods, Karma.

The gods! You make them say what you want.

So you're leaving? All alone?

With my yaks. Come with me.

My father would kill me if I went.

Who's going to carry the salt? Your father or you?

He's too old. We'll go with Tinle.

Tinle!

You're right. What a young man!

Come here.

Take Tinle to Norbou.

Grandfather Tinle!

Does the color match?

The blue isn't as bright today. Look closely.

We'll never finish in time.

It's the gods who decide.

We can't tell when we finish.

It soon escapes our control.

The fresco itself decides when it's finished.

What is it?

What do you want?

Norbou...

Father!

Karma, Karma!

Teach me to use a bow!

You have to build up your arms.

Strong arms, that's the secret. Understand?

Come on, come on!

We leave tomorrow morning. Come with me.

Before the date?

Storms are brewing. We must leave quickly.

Before Tinle or the storms?

Let's leave together.

Come. Tinle can't manage alone.

I offered to work with him.

He refused.

Ask him. Where is he?

At the monastery!

Norbou! He's gone to fetch Norbou!

Norbou... but why him?

He doesn't know what he's doing.

His demon is his grief.

So what's your demon, Karma?

No, that's impossible!

Karma! My brother's best friend!

He was before,

but things have changed.

Now your brother's gone, and I can't drive the yaks alone.

You want to lead the caravan?

I have to. It's vital for us.

Why you? Choose another man.

That man is you, my second son.

I rode two days to fetch you.

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

- You'll learn. - I'll learn nothing.

I've lived here since I was eight.

I can read, recite prayers, and paint.

You wanted me to be a lama.

I don't have a caravaneer's hands.

You have all the food you need,

and all the clothes you need. We don't.

You sent me here. I was a child, so I obeyed you.

Now you say: “Come to the mountains!”

- Are you afraid? - I'm not afraid to say no.

Aren't you Lhakpa's brother?

So say your prayers, if that's all you can do.

I'll take Tsering!

We really leave tomorrow?

Get an early night's sleep. It's a long journey.

My wife will say good-bye all night!

Make the most of it!

Pema!

Is that you?

You're here...

Our childhood hideaway!

You brought me here to say that?

You have no right to leave.

Not before the set date, not before Tinle returns.

What do you mean, no right?

- Tinle's laws again! - No, the laws of the Dolpo.

Tinle isn't Dolpo.

He decides for himself, you and all the others!

Enough!

Pema...

end your mourning.

Come with us.

Bring Tsering.

Gather our yaks.

If you can't trade your salt, what will you do?

Tinle will return.

Tinle is old!

His mind is going! You know that!

I won't leave with you.

Pema...

I'm leaving tomorrow.

Are you ready? Hurry up!

Karma... your father.

Karma, all our sons are leaving with you.

I haven't forced anyone to come.

I don't approve of Tinle's obstinacy.

I wanted you to be chief, Karma, but not like this.

I have no choice.

If you leave early, you'll be plagued by demons.

You'll no longer be part of the Dolpo.

I'm taking the Dolpo with me!

It's you who don't belong to it anymore!

Tinle is back!

Can you see him?

No...

wait...

No, Norbou isn't with him.

What happened?

Are you alone?

Alone? You're all here!

No. Karma has left. He took everyone.

Where's the salt?

- I have mine! - Me too!

- My sons took mine! - I have mine too!

What will we do with our salt?

The same thing as before.

We'll leave on the set day.

Tinle, look, we're all old.

I see you.

I see hardened, united men.

Chokpa, Paldjor, Tendzin...

Are we together or not?

Tinle!

It's been so many years now... we won't make it.

The gods are with us!

The mountains will recognize us. They're our allies.

If we stay, we'll die of shame!

Karma!

You've done it!

We've done it together.

Long live Karma!

We'll set off like we used to,

my old Ngeunpo.

We'll show them what we can do.

Father! There's a sack left inside. Do you need it?

Yes, bring it down!

Don't do that, Pasang, for god's sake!

The salt! Quickly!

This is no time to waste it.

Hurry up, time is short.

What are you doing here? Go back home!

My son is a caravaneer now!

Your strap isn't tight enough.

At the slightest jolt, the load will fall.

Help me tighten it.

Tie the knot.

Go on, tie the knot.

Later, later... the blessings later.

First the knot.

- Is that right? - That's right now.

Change your boots at least!

Don't worry about us.

What? Winter is here! You're all old men.

What will you do during storms?

Don't worry about Pasang. He'll be a child to us all.

But you're the child...

Hurry! Hurry up!

Come on!

Tinle!

- How long is it since we came here? - And what about me?

What a recruit!

Are you my father's brother?

What did you think I'd be like?

My father said you'd been locked up since you were a child.

A monastery isn't a prison.

You weren't locked up?

By reciting prayers, you leave your body and the world.

That's true freedom.

Where do you leave your body from?

The yaks have gone!

Old Ngeunpo, go quick like in the old days.

Come on.

Slowly. You scare them.

Look how you move your arms and legs!

Match your rhythm to the yaks.

No sudden moves. Like an old man!

If you pray to the gods like that, I bet you scare them.

- Are you all right? - I'm fine.

I hear you're a great painter.

No. It's the frescoes that are great.

My father hasn't changed one bit.

When he shouts,

men and beasts bow their heads and walk.

Until when?

They've stopped back there!

- What's wrong? - He fell all of a sudden.

Look at him!

The demons have carried him off!

They want us all!

Karma, what are we going to do now?

You've attracted the demons!

Here's his poison!

This is our demon.

If you're scared, say so, but don't accuse me.

Grandpa, my feet hurt.

- Will tomorrow be the same? - Tomorrow and the day after...

Your feet will get nice and tough.

You'll be a real Dolpopa!

- It's hard at first! - It's always hard.

Stop moaning about how hard it is!

Karma has a four-day lead.

We must catch them before the pass.

"Buddhas of the three ages, Padmasambhava,

remove all obstacles, be they inner, outer or secret.

May our thoughts come true spontaneously.”

I'm not walking any longer. I'm hungry.

Just a little further...

I'm hungry. Let's stop.

Everyone stop. Pesang's hungry.

Tinle, look!

They're tired, they've stopped.

What's the matter?

I want to go home.

If we don't trade the salt, what will we eat?

Your grandfather has never turned back.

Paldjor, you tell him

that a real Dolpopa never turns back.

In any case, I'm too tired to turn back!

We'll make you lose more time each day.

I'll take Pasang back.

You don't understand!

You're of no use in the village.

- Pasang's place is here. - He's only a child.

Yesterday, he was a child...

Come over here, let's sit down.

See, Tinle says that we'll stop at the foot of that mountain.

- Where? - See the shadow to the left?

There's a ridge to the right. We go that way.

Next to the ravine?

No, to the right. Next to the bright mountain.

The yellow mountain lit up by the sun?

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

You're tired, lean on me.

I'm younger than you...

My yak is getting old.

Today included, it's been eight days.

Eight days...

Ten days... since we left.

What is he hoping for?

We'll never catch up with Karma.

He's mad!

We'll lose our lives in these mountains.

We must tell him to stop.

- You tell him. - Me? Aren't you his best friend?

What's that?

A tree.

- Will we be seeing trees? - A whole forest.

Have you seen one?

No, never...

How can you draw them then?

My master taught me.

Is a tree big?

From the top, you can see a long way, like from a mountain.

- Like a chief! - Like a chief?

Like grandpa.

He's at the top to see far away.

I can't go any further.

Grandpa!

Grandpa...

I can't go on.

We keep walking but never arrive.

Our legs will never catch up with Karma.

Open your eyes. Your grandson can't go on.

We're all mad. If we die, it'll be our fault!

We've always stood together.

We must succeed.

Succeed at what? What?

Succeed. It's the only way!

Grandpa!

Pasang!

Behind this cliff, leopards once killed two of my yaks.

They were Ngeunpo's calves.

The cry that scares leopards!

A cry that scares everyone!

The caravan! It's Karma and the others!

That's not the caravan, they're pilgrims.

What are pilgrims?

Religious people who walk.

- Where have you been? - Mount Kailash.

Is Shey Riwo Dupta far?

Ten days at the most.

Where are you going?

To the land of grain. Have you seen a caravan?

Yes, there were 200 yaks.

When?

When?

Three, four... no... five days ago.

No! Two or three at the most...

They were young. They walked fast.

I thought we'd manage it.

We couldn't catch up with them.

Karma knows the mountains.

We couldn't catch them.

Tinle! Talking to him is like trying to stop snow falling.

The mountains obeyed him before.

In a week, we could be warm at home.

Our home is the mountains!

With the yaks and salt.

What do you mean?

It's madness to try to catch Karma.

You can finish your fresco.

It can wait.

Show me your hands.

Why did you come with me?

When you left the monastery,

I remembered what one of my masters said.

“When two paths open up before you, always choose the hardest one.”

The hardest one...

The hardest one...

The hardest one, hmm?

Tea, more teal

Aren't you sick of tea?

Labrang!

Don't tell me you haven't brought any beer or alcohol.

Tinle,

you ordered us not to.

You don't mean you obeyed me?

Too bad! We'll drink Karma's!

We'll take the lake trail tomorrow.

For God's sake, Tinle...

the demons' path?

I took it myself, ten years ago.

- And I'm still here. - Will we see real demons?

If we get through,

we'll catch them before the pass.

Go alone! I'm turning back.

Turn your back then.

And bolt your door well.

Tinle, you're asking too much of us.

What will you eat this winter?

Your salt?

I'm going to get my grain. We have no choice.

So we're going to see demons!

For real!

That's enough praying! Let's go!

Stop the yaks!

- What is it? - It's collapsed.

What are you doing?

The yaks can't turn back now.

We have to get past!

Hand me that stone!

Not that one! A smaller one.

Where are you going?

You'll fall.

I want to help grandpa.

- Be careful! - Don't worry.

There's no way past. Stay there.

Stop them!

Will it hold?

You're asking me my opinion?

Try it.

Come on, Ngeunpo!

If you can, they all can.

Ngeunpo!

The path's sound.

Toundroup made it,

like your paddock!

Bring the yaks along slowly!

Good God!

Move slowly. There's plenty of room.

Step by step. Give me your hand.

It's all right.

One yak and two sacks of salt, that's the price to pay the demons.

Look! More pilgrims!

They've got yaks with them!

Yaks?

It's a caravan.

They're pilgrims. No, it's a caravan.

- There's a lamal! - They've got yaks! Look!

- It looks like Ngeunpo! - Ngeunpo?

They're Tinle's yaks! Tinle!

Pasang! Chokpa! Norbou! They're all there.

Tinle's here! Tinle's here!

Karma! Tinle's here!

Welcome, Tinle!

Let's pitch camp up there.

Welcome, Tinle. Come and drink something.

We'll stay here two days. Your yaks will be unloaded.

They're already doing it.

I didn't know you were so close. I'd have waited for you.

I didn't follow you. I always leave on the date set by the gods.

You left four days after us!

Four days?

No one can make up for four days.

That's impossible...

if they left when he said.

He's done the impossible.

“King Ling's divination...

good weather: it crackles.

Bad weather: as silent as a stone cast into the sea.

Here's the divination...”

I's not speaking.

The salt's silent.

A storm's brewing. We leave tomorrow.

It's not crackling!

It's not crackling!

Tinle,

we've all been walking for two weeks without rest.

My men, your men and the yaks are worn out.

We said we'd rest for two days.

The grass is good, the sky blue.

The sky lies to us.

The salt didn't crackle.

We must cross the passes now.

We can't stake our lives on a handful of salt!

This salt has helped us survive for centuries.

Are you going to listen to him?

- Salt can't speak. - It didn't crackle.

Those are children's stories!

Karma, you must listen to the gods.

The gods have nothing to do here.

If we survive, it'll be thanks to us!

Thanks to us alone! Not the gods!

Try to understand!

You're a chief,

but you're not his son.

I wonder... about Lhakpa.

He told you not to go with him.

I wanted to follow him.

I should have insisted...

You mustn't think it's your fault.

You see that star over there?

If you stare hard at it,

you'll see that it beats like a heart.

Learn to recognize it.

There are so many!

Yes, but that particular star...

is our star.

It leads us to the land of grain.

Even our fathers' fathers' fathers

used to look up at it.

Where's Pasang?

- Have you seen Pasang? - No.

So you're leaving with him too?

Come with us.

You'll never survive in the storm.

You're going to die here.

Where is this storm?

Have you seen the stars?

Tinle's mistaken.

Tinle knows the mountains.

Come with us... do it for me.

You must choose.

Either you go with Tinle, or you stay with me.

Tinle and you are exactly the same!

You only think of yourselves.

What about you? When will you think of yourself?

Karma!

Pasang!

Father, leave him.

Keep out of this!

You keep out of it too.

- Come with me. - No, I can't.

Come on, all together!

Help it up!

Let's take the salt.

Tinle's going to kill us all.

Aren't you cold?

Tinle, let's stop.

We'll never cross the pass.

We can't see the trail or the mountains.

We must defy the storm.

It's best to wait here until it blows over.

We have four days of supplies.

If you turn back, you'll starve to death.

I'm Tinle, I conquer passes!

Father!

Father, are you all right?

Don't listen to them. Keep on climbing, however slowly.

Don't stop to pitch camp until you reach the four chortens.

Why?

Keep on going. I'll check that we haven't lost anyone.

Grandpa!

Straight into the mountains, boy!

- Seen my father? - No. Wasn't he with you?

Father!

Tinle!

We’re going to get lost too!

We must keep looking for him!

He'll be lost in the dark.

There, look!

Father!

Tinle!

He saw the storm in the blue sky.

I saw nothing. I fell into the trap.

If you'd left with us, you wouldn't have been able to save him.

Did I save him or did the mountains spare him?

You don't understand,

he's taking everything from you.

You're the chief!

Father, don't think like that.

I'm not a chief.

I'm a painter, a son coming to help his father.

What about Pasang?

Pasang has already chosen. Things are working themselves out.

Just let them, for once.

- Can we shoot arrows? - Learn to load a yak first.

If you don't wear this, your eyes will hurt.

If your eyes hurt, you'll cry.

The boy's in good hands.

It's up to you now.

Don't forget...

a chief commands his men

but receives his orders from the gods.

Never forget that.

I've sometimes dreamt that you were my father.

You're too much like me...

to be my son.

You know, sometimes I've felt like telling the lamas where to go!

A real chief always starts by disobeying.

The gods are triumphant! The gods are triumphant!

What are you doing?

Leave me! This is where I stop.

In the valley, we'll find what we need to cure you.

Cure me?

I'm not ill. I'm old.

Leave him here.

His place is in the mountains.

- But... - Chokpa is right.

It's the chief's wish.

Karma...

you must lead them from now on.

Go on.

Take care of Pasang.

I've made you waste enough time.

We're almost there.

We can't part now that we've just met.

We've always been together...

we wanted the same thing.

Tinle, you must live.

Let him go now.

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

I learned so much from you.

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

You, my nephew Pasang, you, Pema.

And you, Karma.

I've painted this fresco for you. It's finished now.

It tells our story.

Pasang's story,

the story of a leader's childhood.

The gods are triumphant!