Pema Dhondup

Pema is a second generation Tibetan born and raised in India. He began his professional career as a film maker after graduating from USC School of Cinema and Television in 2002. Pema received the prestigious Fulbright scholarship awarded by U.S government to study at USC.  He also holds a MBA degree from India.

While acquiring technical skills Pema concentrated on directing and writing at USC. He was quick to learn which is why just in his second year, Pema was chosen from the entire graduate program to direct one of the four USC produced narrative short films. This is the most coveted filmmaking experience that graduates compete at the film school. Simulation of the ‘real’ world conditions that is emphasized through this production class, students are eventually prepared to handle any production in the ‘real’ world. A complicated     psychological drama titled ‘ECHO’ scripted by a fellow student from Germany was produced and made into a 16mm short that also became Pema’s thesis film. 
 
He wrote, produced and directed the first Tibetan digital feature film titled ‘WE'RE NO MONKS’. Assembling crew from around the world and scrambling resources to make his first independent film. It was another little attempt to take his community in a new direction. Inspired by Italian neo-realism and particularly ‘The Battle of Algiers’, Pema shot on location in Dharamsala where the headquarters of The Dalai Lama has been established and literally transformed this little Tibet into a huge set. The factual story about Tibetan youth and their struggle in exile turned out to be meaningful film inspiring the frustrated youth to resist from the temptation of taking up violence as a means of freedom struggle.

Pema and his wife initiated the first and the only News video of the Tibetan people titled SARGYUR (The News) under TIBET COMMUNICATIONS, a Non-Profit organization that Pema and his wife floated. Leading the exile media revolution again, Pema initiated the formation of Press Club of Tibet and was also its first president.