Seven Years in Tibet
A determined Austrian climber escapes a WWII POW camp in the Himalayas and braves treacherous mountains to reach forbidden Lhasa, where he must outwit hostile forces and survive the unforgiving frontier to secure his freedom.
“At the end of the world his real journey began.”
Synopsis
Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountaineer, travels to the Himalayas in 1939 to lead an expedition, leaving his family behind. When World War II begins, the self-assured Harrer is captured by Allied forces and held as a prisoner of war. He escapes with another detainee and travels to Lhasa, Tibet, where he meets the 14-year-old Dalai Lama. Their friendship significantly changes Harrer's perspective on life.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 340+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Noelle BoissonShot by Robert FraisseScored by John WilliamsDesigned by Hoang Thanh AtSound by Tim CavaginCostumes by Laura Lo SurdoStunts by Nick GillardVFX by Antony Hunt
Box Office
1997 · Box office
⚖️ Fell short of break-even — grossed 1.9× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$131.5M
US & Canada: $38.0M — 29% of worldwide · International: $93.5M (71%)
Opening weekend: $10.0M — 26% of its US run.
Opening week (7-day): $13.3M — 35% of its US & Canada run.
Peak 2,103 theaters
Full synopsis
Also known as
- Sieben Jahre in Tibetde
- Siete años en el Tíbetes
- Sept ans au Tibetfr
- Sette anni in Tibetit
- (Bulgarian)Седем години в Тибет
Release dates around the world3 countries · showhide
- CanadaSep 13, 1997
- United StatesOct 8, 1997
- ChileOct 9, 1997
Production & Distribution
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Cast & Crew
340 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Brad Pitt
as Heinrich Harrer
David Thewlis
as Peter Aufschnaiter
Bd Wong
as Ngawang Jigme
Mako
as Kungo Tsarong
Danny Denzongpa
as Regent
Mako Nm0538683
as Kungo Tsarong
Victor Wong
as Chinese 'Amban'
Ingeborga Dapkunaite
as Ingrid Harrer
Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk
as Dalai Lama, 14 Years Old
Lhakpa Tsamchoe
as Pema Lhaki
Jetsun Pema
as Great Mother
Ama Ashe Dongtse
as Tashi
Supporting cast
35Sonam Wangchuk
as Dalai Lama, 8 Years Old
Dorjee Tsering
as Dalai Lama, 4 Years Old
Ric Young
as General Chang Jing Wu
Ngawang Chojor
as Lord Chamberlain
Duncan Fraser
as British Officer
Benedick Blythe
as Nazi Official
Tom Raudaschl
as Lutz Chicken
Wolfgang Tonninger
as Hans Lobenhoffer
Samdup Dhargyal
as The Garpon
Chemchok
as Garpon's Agent
Tenzin Jangchub
as Declaration Monk Official
Angphurba Sherpa
as Tibetan General
Tsering Wangdue
as Burly Guide
Yama Ngudup Cheshatsang
as Burly Guide
Kalsang Dhundop Lungtok
as Vendor Ice-Skates
Sonam Bidhartsang
as Jacket Vendor
Lama Champa Tsondu
as Vendor
Geshe Lobsang Nyma
as Ling Rinpoche
Geshe Yeshi Tsultrim
as Trijang Rinpoche
Lama Champa Chandu
as Dalai Lama's Room Attendant
Pemba Norbu Sherpa
as Young Sherpa
Karma Apo Tsang
as Messenger to Great Mother
Ngawang Tenzingyatso
as Jokhang Monk Official
Choeden Tsering
as Military Instructor
Lama Jampa Lekshe
as Monk Head of Security
Lama Thupten Nugdup
as Head of Security's Aide
Daniel Tedeschi
as Marchese
Gerardo Ebert
as Horst Immerhof
Sebastian Zevalia
as Younger Rolf Harrer
Philipp Kriechbaum
as Older Rolf Harrer
Lobsang Gendun Rinpoche
as Tibetan
Tenzin Gyaltsen Rinpoche
as Tibetan
Sharpa Tulku Rinpoche
as Tibetan
Zongra Tulku Rinpoche
as Tibetan
Victor A Haddox
as Priest at Graz Train Station
Directors
1Writers
4Producers
14Alisa Tager
associate producer
Andy Fowler
visual effects producer (uncredited)
Antony Hunt
visual effects producer
Catherine Moulin
producer: Himalaya
David Nichols
executive producer
Diane Summers
executive producer: Himalaya
Iain Smith
Producer, Producers
Jean Jacques Annaud
Producer, Producers
John H Williams
Producer, Producers
John Williams Nm0002354
conductor / music producer (uncredited)
Lejla Hadzimuratovic
assistant to associate producer (uncredited)
Michael Besman
executive producer
Richard Goodwin
executive producer
Roger Lofting
visual effects producer
Other crew
281Domenico Mancino
accessories specialist: Argentina
Celia Bannerman
acting coach
Bennett Fidlow
additional legal services (uncredited)
Grahame Peters
additional sound editor
Julian Rodd
additional sound editor
Bill Kaye
additional still photographer (uncredited)
Tenzin Tethong
advisor: Tibet
Phuntsok Namgyal Dhumkhang
advisor: Tibetan music & art, Argentina
Tenzin Chogyal
advisor: Tibetan religion, Argentina (as Ven. Tenzin Chogyal)
Rakra Tethong Rinpoche
advisor: Tibetan tradition, Argentina
Charles Bodycomb
armorer: Argentina
Dale Clarke
armorer: Argentina
Parents Guide
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