“Samsara” Screening with Polynesian Dance Presentation and Discussion

Visit the Oakland Asian Cultural Center (OACC) for a free screening of the documentary film "Samsara." The evening will also feature a brief presentation of Polynesian dance by Halau KaUaTuahine of the Mahea Uchiyama Center for International Dance in Berkeley and discussion on the film and the role of arts and culture in social change. Refreshments and a free raffle for books and Blu-ray copies of “Baraka” and “Samsara” provided. OACC's rotating exhibits (including Vietnamese Silk paintings and traditional arts and crafts through Sept. 30) also open to public noon to 6p.

SAMSARA is a Sanskrit word that means “the ever turning wheel of life” and is the point of departure for the filmmakers as they search for the elusive current of interconnection that runs through our lives. Filmed over a period of almost five years and in twenty-five countries, SAMSARA transports us to sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial sites, and natural wonders. By dispensing with dialogue and descriptive text, SAMSARA subverts our expectations of a traditional documentary, instead encouraging our own inner interpretations inspired by images and music that infuses the ancient with the modern.

Expanding on the themes they developed in BARAKA (1992) and CHRONOS (1985), SAMSARA explores the wonders of our world from the mundane to the miraculous, looking into the unfathomable reaches of man’s spirituality and the human experience. Neither a traditional documentary nor a travelogue, SAMSARA takes the form of a nonverbal, guided meditation. Through powerful images, the film illuminates the links between humanity and the rest of nature, showing how our life cycle mirrors the rhythm of the planet.

The event is free and open to the public. Donations are gratefully appreciated. The film is 1 hr 42 min, PG-13. For more on the films: http://barakasamsara.com/

This project is supported by California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanaities. Visit calhum.org.

Co-sponsored by the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM). Visit http://caamedia.org/