SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET original 1956 Hans Nieter documentary

Directed by Hans Nieter, this 1956 British documentary chronicles Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer's daring escape from a British POW camp in India during World War II and his perilous trek across the Himalayas into forbidden Tibet. Featuring Harrer's own 16mm footage of Lhasa, religious ceremonies, and his friendship with the young 14th Dalai Lama, it blends authentic scenes with reconstructed adventures. Narrated by Anton Diffring, the 76-minute film offers a rare glimpse into pre-invasion Tibetan culture, capturing the spiritual life and the encroaching Chinese presence. Selected for the 1956 Cannes Film Festival, it provides an intimate, historical portrait of independence on the brink.