Search for Shangri-La

Share the experiences of those few travellers, explorers and diplomats permitted to enter Tibet before 1950. From the BFI archive unfolds a rich tapestry of ceremonial events, dramatic landscapes, colourful flora and fauna. Witness the installation of a new Dalai Lama and bizarre contrasts between the British diplomatic life and Tibetan customs, beginning with the earliest-ever film record of Tibet in 1922, with a party on the way to try to conquer Everest.

A BFI Compilation featuring extracts from films made between 1922 and 1970