upon hearing of the war's end. But his son Rolf sends him a cold letter in which he says that Harrer is not his father. This stops Harrer from leaving Tibet. Soon afterwards, Harrer is invited to the Potala Palace and becomes the 14th Dalai Lama's tutor in world geography, science, and Western culture. Harrer and Dalai Lama end up befriending each other. Meanwhile, political relations with the new Communist government of China sour as they make plans to invade Tibet. Ngawang Jigme leads the Tibetan army at the border town of Chamdo to halt the advancing People's Liberation Army. However, he ends up surrendering and blows up the Tibetan ammunition dump after the one-sided Battle of Chamdo. During the treaty signing, Kungo Tsarong tells Harrer that if Jigme had not destroyed the weapons supply, the Tibetan guerrillas could have held the mountain passes for months or even years; long enough to appeal to other nations for help. He also states that, for Tibetans, capitulation is like a death sentence. As the Chinese occupy Tibet, Harrer condemns Ngawang Jigme for betraying his country, declaring their friendship over. Out of anger, Harrer further humiliates the senior official by returning the jacket that Ngawang Jigme gave him as a present, a grave insult in Tibetan culture; as well as by throwing him onto the ground before storming off. Harrer tries to convince the Dalai Lama to flee, but he refuses; not wanting to abandon his people. The Dalai Lama encourages Harrer to return to Austria and be a father to his son. After the enthronement ceremony, in which the Dalai Lama is formally enthroned as the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, Harrer returns to Austria in 1951. Harrer's son, Rolf, refuses to meet him at first, but Harrer leaves a music box that the Dalai Lama gave him and this piques the boy's interest. Years later, Harrer and Rolf (now a teenager) are seen mountain-climbing together, suggesting that they have mended their relationship. Cast Brad Pitt as Heinrich Harrer David Thewlis as Peter Aufschnaiter BD Wong as Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme Mako as Kungo Tsarong Danny Denzongpa as Regent Victor Wong as Chinese 'Amban' Ingeborga Dapkūnaitė as Ingrid Harrer Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk as Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, 14 years old Sonam Wangchuk as Dalai Lama, 8 years old Dorjee Tsering as Dalai Lama, 4 years old Lhakpa Tsamchoe as Pema Lhaki Jetsun