ABOUT

GYALKHANG FILMS. An independent Tibetan film production based in Camelback, Phoenix, AZ, and the Emerald City of Seattle, WA. Developing and producing unique, untold stories rooted in the Tibetan diaspora while fully embracing emerging technologies.

RABYOUNG THONDEN GYALKHANG

Tibetan-American filmmaker, designer, actor, and GoJu Karate practitioner (Ni Dan). He was born in a valley guarded by towering Himalayan pine trees, sweet ruby-red rhododendrons, and lazy gray-faced langurs of Dharamsala, India.

A Journey Forged

At sixteen, he landed at the SeaTac Airport, met his father for two hours before heading to Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS) in Carbondale, Colorado, and fell in love with snowboarding.

He studied business at North Seattle College and Seattle University. After eight years in finance, he shifted gears to pursue his creative passions, studying multimedia design at the Seattle Creative Academy.

His career later took him into mobile technology and advertising, working with clients such as Telus, Taco Bell, Disney Mobile, Red Bull and FCB (Draft FCB). A standout moment was collaborating with Stan Lee, creator of Spider-Man, Hulk, and Iron-Man, to launch the animated series on mobile platforms across Latin America.

In 2007, he wrote, produced, and directed Blood Over Nangpa La, a documentary about the plight of Tibetan children fleeing Tibet.

In 2019, he co-starred in The Sweet Requiem, an official selection Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) .

The Ties That Bind…Even If He Didn’t Sign Up For :)

His father, the late Mr. Losang Thonden, was a Tibetan scholar, writer, and calligrapher who served as Secretary of Education in the Tibetan government-in-exile (1970–75). After immigrating to the U.S., he worked as a cultural consultant and appeared in Hollywood films, including Little Buddha, Seven Years in Tibet, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

His mother, Mrs. Dekyi Thonden Gyalkhang, served as Deputy Secretary of Finance in the Tibetan government-in-exile. After immigrating, she began her culinary journey, combining her experience in Tibetan fine dining from Lhasa with a modern fusion touch.

In 2011, the Seattle Times named her restaurant Tingmomo as one of the top ten in the city. She also appeared on KOMO TV and Food Network’s Taste of America with Jeffrey Saad before retiring in 2018.

Coda

He envisions harmonizing creativity with emerging technologies to craft stories once constrained by limitations, transcending genres across all mediums.