To maintain cultural integrity, Scorsese cast non-professional Tibetan actors, many of whom were actual refugees or relatives of the Dalai Lama [1, 8]. The "Kundun Incident" and Geopolitical Impact

A two-year-old boy from a farming family is identified as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama [5].

China strongly objected to the film's portrayal of Mao Zedong and the occupation of Tibet. In retaliation, the Chinese government banned Scorsese and Mathison from entering the country and briefly suspended Disney's business operations in China [16].