Linka Linka, the landmark feature debut of Tibetan filmmaker Kangdrun, has secured major distribution deals across Europe and Asia ahead of its nationwide theatrical release in mainland China. The film has been acquired for France by Lantuo Pictures, with a release planned for November, and for the United Kingdom by Day For Night. Further deals include Edko Films for Hong Kong, Moviola for Japan, and streaming rights for Taiwan and Southeast Asia through CinemaWorld.
The international interest follows a successful festival run that has brought the film several major awards.
Born in Lhasa in 1995, Kangdrun has marked a milestone in Tibetan cinema with her feature debut, Linka Linka. She is recognised as the first Tibetan woman to direct a fiction feature film. Beyond this distinction, the film reflects her interest in contemporary Lhasa, exploring the lives of its young people, its evolving cultural landscape and the experiences that shape everyday life in the city.
The international distribution deals were secured by Parallax Films, the film’s sales agent, ahead of its domestic theatrical rollout. With buyers across several territories, Linka Linka is set to reach audiences from different cultural backgrounds while retaining the distinctly Tibetan perspective at the heart of its story.
The film follows Samgyi, also referred to as Sangji, who returns to her hometown of Lhasa to make a film about her childhood. As she works on the project, she finds herself caught between the story she wants to tell and the memories that continue to shape her. Her creative uncertainty is compounded by a strained relationship with her father, a director of Tibetan opera, adding a personal challenge to her attempt to revisit the past through cinema.
Her return also leads to an unexpected reunion with Lhamo, her childhood friend. Their quiet encounter brings old memories into the present, giving the film another way to explore how relationships change over time. By connecting Samgyi’s filmmaking process with her personal experiences, Kangdrun builds a story around the complex relationship between memory, family and the place a person calls home.
Lhasa itself plays an important role in the film. Rather than relying primarily on familiar images of mountain landscapes, monasteries and nomadic life, Kangdrun presents the city as a contemporary urban space shaped by youth culture and subcultural communities. Her approach reflects a side of Tibetan life that is often overlooked in cinema, making the setting integral to the characters rather than simply a scenic backdrop.
The film’s festival achievements have further strengthened its international profile. At the Hong Kong International Film Festival, Linka Linka won the Firebird Award for Best Film in the Chinese-language Young Cinema Competition and the FIPRESCI Prize, presented by the international federation of film critics. It also received a jury honour at the Taipei Film Festival, adding to its recognition on the festival circuit.
Linka Linka made its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2025 and continued its journey through international festivals before securing its latest distribution agreements. Its nationwide theatrical release in mainland China is scheduled for October 13 through the National Alliance of Arthouse Cinemas.
The international deals come at a significant moment for the film. As it prepares to reach audiences in mainland China, Linka Linka has already secured distribution pathways into European and Asian markets. Its journey brings Kangdrun’s contemporary portrait of Lhasa to a wider audience, carrying a story rooted in the city’s people, relationships and memories beyond its original setting.