For over forty years the Dalai Lama has waged a non-violent struggle in exile to bring attention to the plight of his people and save their unique culture and religion. He is the embodiment of the ideal of his Buddhist heritage and practice, and his life story is an inspiring lesson in compassion and peace.

For this film, the Dalai Lama personally granted director Mickey Lemle unprecedented access and cooperation. With candor and humor, he describes his upbringing and key moments in his life, detailing historic events including his becoming head of state at the age of sixteen, journeying to Beijing at nineteen to confront Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, and fleeing to India at twenty.