MANAKAMANA World Cinema

The journey up a mountain to the Manakamana temple is an ancient ritual for the Nepalese people. What once took pilgrims days to complete can now be accomplished in just 10 minutes thanks to a gondola. This film consists solely of uninterrupted 10-minute shots of people as they ride the cable car, the last half of the movie showing various groups as they descend. Quietly observing the various groups, the film is a uniquely meditative and illuminating view of humanity. From Harvard’s Sensory Ethnography Lab – the same organization that created the innovative documentary LEVIATHAN (AFI FEST 2012) – comes another structuralist tour-de-force that trains its cameras on ancient rites. Infused with humor, music and reverence this is an unforgettable documentary experience. The unique structure and style of the film places the audience in a reverent, tranquil space from which to observe the most intimate and personal moments of human relationships.