Brad Pitt’s Controversial War Film Turns 28 Today – Still Banned in China

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It’s been 28 years since the movie *Seven Years in Tibet*, starring Brad Pitt, came out. The film is still well-known for being banned in China.

The 1997 film, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, is based on the true story of Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer. It follows Harrer’s time in Tibet from 1944 to 1951, and the surprising bond he formed with the young Dalai Lama.

The movie stars Brad Pitt as Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountaineer. At the beginning of World War II, Harrer and another climber, Peter Aufschnaiter (played by David Thewlis), are captured by the British in India.

Okay, so picture this: it’s 1944, and these two guys pull off an incredible escape, trekking right across the Himalayas to get to Tibet. They were supposed to head back to India, but instead, they ended up finding safety in Lhasa. That’s where things got really interesting – I learned they became pretty close to the young Dalai Lama, with one of them actually becoming his tutor. It was a total immersion into Tibetan culture and their fascinating spiritual beliefs, which sounds like an amazing experience.

The story tracks the journeys of Harrer and Aufschnaiter up to the time of the Chinese invasion of Tibet and the fighting at Chamdo in 1950.

I remember when this film first showed up at the Toronto International Film Festival – it was September 13th, 1997. Then, it had a wider release in the US and Canada on October 8th. It started small, though – only playing in three theaters at first. Over the first two days, it made about $46,130, which was a pretty modest start, honestly.

After expanding to over 2,100 theaters, the movie earned $10 million during its opening weekend. It eventually made $37.9 million in the United States and $93.5 million internationally, for a total worldwide gross of around $131.5 million.

The film received generally mixed reactions from critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 58% approval rating, with reviewers acknowledging that while the movie tells an interesting true story with a dignified style, it doesn’t fully capture the potential of the narrative.

The movie received a Metacritic score of 55 out of 100, indicating generally mixed reviews from critics. However, general audiences seemed to enjoy it more, giving it an A- grade according to CinemaScore. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called the film “ambitious and beautiful,” appreciating its depth for attentive viewers, though he felt it focused too much on the explorers themselves and not enough on the people and cultures they discovered.

Derek Elley of Variety praised the film’s technical aspects, but felt it occasionally lacked deep emotional resonance.

The movie sparked controversy due to its depiction of China. After its release, the Chinese government strongly criticized the film, arguing that it portrayed Chinese military officers as harsh and violent, and showed them mistreating the local people.

As a movie fan, I was shocked to learn how strongly China reacted to the film *Seven Years in Tibet*. Apparently, they were really upset about how the Dalai Lama was portrayed positively, seeing him as someone trying to break away from China. The consequences were huge! Not only were all future Sony movies banned there, but the director, Jean-Jacques Annaud, and the stars Brad Pitt and David Thewlis were completely barred from ever entering the country. It was a really tough situation for everyone involved.

Chinese officials have warned Hollywood that films depicting China negatively may face repercussions, even if those films aren’t shown in China itself.

Eventually, some of the restrictions were lifted. In 2012, Jean-Jacques Annaud was asked to be the head judge at the Shanghai International Film Festival, and Brad Pitt traveled to China in both 2014 and 2016. Sony started doing business in China again in 1998, but the film *Seven Years in Tibet* still hasn’t been shown publicly there.

Even though the movie sparked debate, it’s had a significant and lasting effect on popular culture. Critics and audiences alike have consistently praised its beautiful visuals, John Williams’ memorable music, and Yo-Yo Ma’s stunning cello work. Brad Pitt’s performance as Harrer is still considered one of his best dramatic roles, and the film continues to share Tibetan culture and history with new generations.

When people think of *Seven Years in Tibet*, they remember more than just the story and acting. The film is also important because of the discussions it started around the world and how it brought attention to historical events. It shows how movies can be powerful, but also how important it is to be sensitive when dealing with real-life issues.

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2025-10-09 17:45