Interview with Nati Baratz
By Robert Levin
Special to amNewYork
In “Unmistaken Child” documentarian Nati Baratz depicts the multi-year search for the reincarnation of Geshe-La, a recently deceased Tibetan Buddhist master, conducted by his devoted disciple Tenzin Zopa.
Set amid the natural splendor of India and Nepal, it’s a serene, inspirational story that simultaneously reveals the depth of the student’s love for his teacher and the peaceful nature of the Tibetan people. amNewYork spoke to Baratz about the film, which is currently playing at Film Forum.
What was it about Tenzin Zopa’s speech at the monastery you were visiting in Tibet that made you want to follow him for a movie?
When I heard his huge heart, his humor, his faith, it was really touching. And at the end of the lecture he asked us to pray for the reincarnation for his master. I was struck. I said, “Oh My God, this amazing monk, amazing person is going to look for the reincarnation of his master, I must make a movie out of it.” I think that Tenzin represents everything [I like] about Tibet, [and] the reason why I love the Tibetans so much. So the story of the reincarnation was just for me a narrative structure, a mythical spiritual structure that would just be an engine for the story. And in that way you have enough patience to stay long enough with Tenzin and just observe him and [to] be able to see his qualities. To me the whole film is Tenzin, and the story is just to make it as interesting as possible.
What really spoke to me about the film, and what I think people will relate to, is the notion of loving someone so deeply that you’d go on such an extended quest to find them.
Many times I say this movie for me is just an ultimate love story. It’s not just [one type of] love. Geshe-La was for him his father, his mother, his teacher, his family, everything, so it’s getting his world back, you know?
Why was it important to present the various religious traditions being depicted from a direct, removed standpoint, without trying to interpret things?
It was very important to me that people will contemplate rather than just experience. The movie starts as an adventure story until they find the child, and then it jumps into reality, and then deliberately I tried to put in [contradictory] scenes. In one scene the boy looks holy and the next scene the boy looks normal. It’s almost systematic. I just want to make people contemplate and decide for themselves…Certainly, and this is the most important thing, the question of [the reincarnation] of [the] soul is the biggest question of all, and to say something about it from my point of view is pretentious. In the past the philosopher said, “It’s a known fact there is reincarnation,” now the philosopher says, “It’s a fact there is no reincarnation” and no matter what you see in the film it will not convince you either way. It’s better to leave it to the audience, but I do admit I wanted to take Tenzin’s side and present it as an option.
Did the political situation infringe on the production, or otherwise affect you personally?
Having come from Israel, I [have] felt [a] deep [affinity] since 1993 with the Tibetan struggle for independence. I was a longtime Tibetan [supporter]. If you argue and if you do a film that argues and fights and accuses, the only reaction it can get is [for people to] fight back. So my way of changing [things] is different. Of course it’s part of it, but I want people to see the qualities of the Tibetans and by that you raise awareness and [affection] for the Tibetans. So to me it’s a very effective political statement. And you can see the facts. The fact that [in] maps in the movie, Tibet is there [means] I don’t think I will be able to enter China again. [The fact that] the Dalai Lama is in the film [impacted it]. The Japanese wanted to buy this film, and they got [an angry] letter from the [Chinese] Embassy. I went to the Krakow Film Festival, the film opened there, and I had a serious talk with the Chinese. They are really angry about this film, and they are especially angry because people like Tenzin…People like him, so you can see it’s very effective. The fact that at every screening I have Chinese people and Chinese politicians means maybe I’m right in doing [this for] Tibet. So it’s very political without being political.
