Samsara - The Eternal Cycle of Existence

SAMSARA - THE ETERNAL CYCLE OF LIFE

(non-narrative documentary film)

color, American, silent documentary, 102’, 2011

directed by Ron Fricke

***Not recommended for children under 12.***

Samsara is a film by Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson, the award-winning creators of Faces of the World: Baraka and Chronos. Their film offers a completely new visual and musical experience; it is a work of art that stands out as exceptionally unique in the cinema lineup.

Samsara is a Sanskrit word, the essence of which is a deeper interpretation of the phenomena that change within the eternal cycle of life. This also provides the film’s starting point: Fricke and Magidson explore that elusive yet functioning point of connection which, according to Eastern religions, spans our lives and rebirths.

The crew filmed for five years across 24 countries on five continents. The stunning footage was captured on 70mm film; in fact, this is what makes the breathtaking visual experience possible, with its backdrop of sacred lands, disaster-stricken zones, industrial complexes, and natural wonders. Like *The Face of the World: Baraka*, this work—devoid of narration and descriptive text, experienced entirely by the viewer, and free of external influences—is by no means a traditional documentary. Its inspirational power is immense: the breathtaking images and transcendent music come together as a complete whole, blending the world of the past with the present.

Samsara is a journey of discovery, a spiritual journey: soaring from painful depths toward wonders, it illuminates the points of connection between humanity and nature...