A unique documentary The Road Leads to Tibet from 1954 documenting the construction of a high-altitude road between China’s interior and the “abode of the gods” — Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.
Two young Czechoslovak filmmakers, director Vladimír Sís and cinematographer Josef Vaniš, were the first Czechs to enter Tibet. Their task was to document what was presented as evidence of the Chinese Communists’ civilizing mission in the newly incorporated western regions.
The filmmakers spent nine months travelling across Tibet. During their 1,800-kilometre journey, they filmed not only the road construction they had been commissioned to document, but also the natural beauty of Tibet and the everyday lives of ordinary Tibetans. They also captured Buddhist monuments and religious ceremonies.
Some of this footage may have become the last record of a distinctive way of life and unique cultural heritage that was systematically destroyed during the Cultural Revolution that followed. Tibetan culture continues to face suppression to this day.
What does Tibet look like more than 70 years later? This is documented in a new film by David Sís, who travelled the same route this year together with other members of the Neuron Expedition.
Come and see the two films side by side and make your own comparison, followed by a discussion with the director.
2 October 2026 · 6:00 PM · Tibetan House, Velký Šenov