Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

At the end of the world his real journey began.

Blu-ray, 2h 16min
Rating: 7.1
Votes: 122913
Languages: English, German, Mandarin, Tibetan, Hindi
Country: USA, UK
Music: John Williams

Plot outline


Personal notes




After the death of 11 climbers, Austrian Heinrich Harrer (Brad Pitt) decides to add glory to his country and to the Austrian pride by climbing Nanga Parbat in British India, and leaves his expectant wife behind. An egoist and a loner, he does not get along with others on his team - but must bend to their wishes after bad weather threatens them. Then WWII breaks out, they are arrested and lodged in Dehra Dun's P.O.W. Camp. He attempts to break out several times in vain, but finally does succeed along with Peter Aufschnaiter (David Thewlis), and they end up in the holy city of Lhasa - a place banned to foreigners. They are provided food and shelter, and Peter ends up marrying a tailor, Pema Lhaki, while Heinrich befriends the Dalai Lama. They meet regularly; while he satiates the child's curiosity about the world, including Jack the Ripper and 'yellow hair'; he is exposed to the teachings of Lord Buddha, He even constructs a movie theater, while getting news of the end of the war, his divorce, and his son's refusal to communicate. But nothing will prepare him for the devastation about to descend when Communist China decides to attack, leading to the deaths of over 1 million Tibetans, the destruction of over 6000 monasteries, and betrayal from their very own people. - rAjOo (


Heinrich Harrer journeys to the Himalayas to climb mountains, leaving his wife behind in Austria. War breaks out while he's gone and he is placed in a prisoner-of-war camp. Harrer escapes to Tibet where he befriends the child Dalai Lama and witnesses the Tibetan/Chinese confrontation escalate. - John Hawkinson
