Published by: World Tibet Network News Friday - October - 3, 1997

HOLLYWOOD, Oct 2 (Variety) - A movie theater is being moved to the Dalai Lama's residence in Dharamsala, a remote corner of Northern India (where there are no movie houses) to show him "Seven Years in Tibet," director Jean-Jacques Annaud told me from his home in France.

He was finally at home in Paris celebrating his birthday (54) Wednesday night with his family -- of whom he has seen little in the last few years, as "Tibet" filmed in Argentina, Canada, India, with post-production in London

Meanwhile, Martin Scorsese continues working on his Africa-filmed Dalai Lama epic, "Kundun," for a Dec. 25 release. Annaud said he sent Scorsese a thank-you note for his remarks in interviews about "Seven Years."

Even though Scorsese hasn't seen the film, Annaud said, "I'm sure he does not want to, until after he has completed his movie."

Annaud had nothing but compliments for Mandalay, Columbia and especially Brad Pitt, who did all his own stunts, even hanging from glaciers and precipices. He said the international film troupe was totally cooperative: "Never a row."

Annaud reported that the news Tuesday in France that church leaders asked pardons for failure to speak out against the Holocaust doesn't forgive the French for hiding its very dark past.

"The major part of France was anti-Semitic," said the 1943-French-born director

Although he said French papers printed the Bishops of France's Roman Catholic Church's apology, they mostly reported the attack of pollution in Paris, which allowed only drivers with odd-numbered license plates to be on the road!

Asked what his next project will be, Annaud said, "Next project? I'm still pregnant with this one!"