About this Event
The Tibet Film Festival is coming to the USA!
Join us on Sunday, March 1st at Ngatso Cafe for our very first TFF USA event. We will have an evening of curated short film screenings from the 2025 Short Film Competition, and a sneak peak at our 2026 festival! We will be joined by Tenzin Wangchuk Tasur, whose film “Butter Tea” was the recipient of the Tibet Film Festival Zurich Audience Award.
Adding to the evening’s festivities, we are honoured to welcome Grammy-nominated musician and composer Tenzin Choegyal. We look forward to an engaging conversation about his prolific career, and his specialised work in film composition.
This event is a fundraiser for TFF USA and all proceeds will go toward the upcoming festivals in New York City and Washington D.C. this November.
"Butter Tea", by Tenzin Wangchuk Tasur (USA), 10min 42 sec
Winner of the TFF Short Film Competition Zurich Audience Award
Set in the heart of Queens, New York, Butter Tea tells the story of Tenzin, a young Tibetan-American barista who begins his first day at a newly opened Tibetan cafe. Among the cafe's regular customers is an elder Tibetan named Dorjee who always orders the traditional Tibetan drink of butter tea. Their daily interactions spark an unexpected bond as the two connect across generations, and Tenzin is gradually pulled into a deeper understanding of his cultural identity, guided by Dorjee's quiet wisdom and stories. Rooted in the Tibetan diaspora experience, Butter Tea explores the power of oral tradition and mentorship in preserving heritage. The film invites viewers to see how something as simple as making tea can become an act of remembrance and belonging.
Tenzin Tasur will be joining the screening for Q&A.
"Lobsang on Camera" by Migmar Jannot (France), 14min 04sec
Winner of the TFF Short Film Competition Jury Award
A young monk at Drepung Monastery becomes the subject of a short film, during the filmmaker’s visit to see her uncle. Through the camera, their connection is built. The film explores how their relationship is shaped by this cinematic process.
"A Phone Call" by Kunchok Rabten (India), 14min 41sec
Winner of the TFF Short Film Competition Jury Award
A single Tibetan mother sends her only son to India in the hope of a better future but the fate has a different plan.
"The Curse" by Tenzin Gurmey (Belgium), 7min 33sec
Winner of the TFF Short Film Competition Dharamsala Audience Award
Three Tibetan friends on their first hike in a European forest discover a strange doll that seems to follow them, their fun trip turns into a scary night as they get lost, and the forest seems to come alive.
Tenzin Choegyal
Tenzin Choegyal is a Tibetan artist, composer, activist, musical director, and cultural ambassador, and one of the world’s finest musicians in the Tibetan tradition. As a son of Tibetan nomads, he feels a particular connection to the music of the high Himalayan plateau. Forced into exile in India as his family fled the repression in Tibet, he now resides in Australia.
Channeling the wisdom and traditions of his ancestors through his songs and compositions, Tenzin proudly continues the unbroken lineage which is central to his music. He embraces opportunities to take his music into more contemporary, uncharted territory, collaborating with world famous composers, musicians and artists such as Phillip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Patti Smith, and many more.
In a career spanning more than 30 years, Tenzin has performed at festivals across Australia and curated numerous events and concerts including Brisbane’s annual Festival of Tibet. He has performed in New Zealand, Japan, Netherlands, India, Germany, Bangladesh, Russia, Mongolia, UK and USA, including performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall.
His latest album, Be The Sky features original works from Choegyal and Phillip Glass’s two-decade collaboration, with Glass performing on the title track. The 7-track recording also spotlights performances by the GRAMMY Award-winning Scorchio Quartet, actress Saori Tsukada (poetry recitation), Alex Ring Gray (piano and saxophones), and refugee children from the Tibetan Children’s Village, where Choegyal himself was raised.
You can find out more about Tenzin Choegyal on his website: https://www.tenzinchoegyal.com/
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Ngatso Cafe, 39-08 63rd Street, Queens, United States
USD 23.18
