Who was Pema Tseden? Tibetan Filmmaker and Director or ‘Jipan’ Dead at 53

Pema Tseden was a Tibetan filmmaker and director whose films frequently played at Venice Film Festival. He was known for producing several movies including The Search, Old Dog, The Sacred Arrow, Jinpa, Balloon, and more. He was reportedly working on a film titled Snow Leopard and another production when he died.

He died after reportedly suffering a heart attack at the age of 53. He was detained by the police and was hospitalized in June 2016 after having been subjected to all-night interrogation. Some sources believe that it was the genesis of his health crises.

Tseden was a professor at the Chinese Film Academy. The Institution reported his death to the public.

“Pema Tseden, a famous Tibetan director, screenwriter, and professor at the Film School of the China Academy of Art, died in Tibet in the early hours of May 8 due to an acute illness. Due to the sudden incident, the school will work with Mr. Tseden’s family to deal with the follow-up matters. The relevant information will be announced in due course,” the Academy said in a statement.