This Month's Spiritual Cinema Circle Films

Within Without
This magical short takes us deep into the realm of the inner body through one little girl’s curiosity and observation. She travels into the microcosm that exists within our cells, bringing us to the realization that the inner body reflects the outermost cosmos in a sacred and profound way. This animated short could possibly be teaching us that we truly are all “One.” 3 min. no dialog. Written and directed by Hugh McGrory.

Smudge
Having just premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, this short documentary out of Canada brings us a loving glimpse into the ritual of “smudging;” cleansing a body or a space with the smoke of burning herbs, most commonly sage or sweet grass. A reminder that sacred rituals abound, even in the most urban settings, this film encourages us to “smudge” anywhere and anytime! 12 min. Directed by Gail Maurice.

Heaven’s Bookstore
A metaphysical love story, Heaven’s Bookstore was adapted from a Japanese novel that became a series of best selling books. The author of the books worked with the director of the film to combine books 1 and 3 into this magical movie. We are quickly introduced to Heaven, the place where you have to live out the remainder of the 100 years that it takes to be reincarnated. If you die when you are 5, you will live in Heaven (a wonderful place to be) for 95 years, but you won’t age a day! While we are engrossed in the relationships and happenings of Heaven, we also meet a cast of characters on earth who draw us into a seemingly different story about famous fireworks called “wabi” or “loving fireworks.” As the stories begin to intertwine, we are wrapped up in the romance of art, the beauty of music, and the healing of the past. A heart warming, intricate story that delivers in all ways. 111 min. in Japanese with English subtitles. Written by Kyoko Inukai and Tetsuo Shinohara, Directed by Tetsuo Shinohara. 

Kumbh Mela: Songs of the River
We are privileged, in this incredible documentary, to travel with filmmaker Nadeem Uddin as he joins 70 million people at the 2001 Maha Kumbh Mela in India for the largest gathering of humanity in recorded history. This amazing film follows the Nagas, or holy men, as they come down from their mountain isolation to bath in the holy waters that flow where India’s three most sacred rivers meet in Allahabad, India. Along the way we meet many gurus (each guru has a camp set up in their honor where their devotees come to pray with them), as well as those who came from all over the globe to pray for peace and rebirth for self and the world. A mind-blowing gathering of spiritual energies, even the planets and stars joined in, providing heavenly alignments not seen for 144 years. 45 min. in many different languages with English subtitles. Directed by Nadeem Uddin. (US & Canada only)

For more information about the Spiritual Cinema Circle, click here.