A profound and poetic encounter with cultural and spiritual icon Ram Dass, at his home on Maui toward the end of his life. Ram Dass is one of the most important cultural figures from the 1960s and 70s, a psychedelic pioneer, former academic and clinical psychologist, author of the influent book Be Here Now, beloved spiritual teacher, and outspoken advocate for death-and-dying awareness. Ram Dass is now himself approaching the end of his journey. Since suffering a life-changing stroke twenty years ago, he has been living at his home on Maui and deepening his spiritual practice--which is centered on love and his idea of merging with his surroundings and all living things.
This three-day music festival was promoted to echo unity and counterculture idealism of the original 1969 concert but instead devolved into riots, looting and sexual assaults. The film documents the notorious music festival like an unravelling horror film to visceral effect, presenting a flashpoint in cultural nadir while suggesting that it was also a sign of troubles to come.
The youngest foot soldiers for the Lord are shown in their native environment in this documentary. Becky Fischer is a children's pastor who runs 'Kids on Fire,' a summer camp for evangelical Christian children in North Dakota. Fischer believes in the political and moral importance of a Christian presence in America, and uses her camp to reinforce the religious training most of her charges are already receiving at home (the majority of the campers are home-schooled by their parents). Using video games, animated videos, and group activities to help put her message across, Fischer encourages the kids to pray for the President and his Supreme Court appointees while urging them to help 'take back America for Christ.' For the most part, the children seem reasonably ordinary beyond the fact they pray with uncommon fervour and sometimes speak in tongues. Along with Fischer and her cohorts, Jesus Camp features interviews with Ted Haggard, an evangelist and advisor to George W. Bush, and Mike Papantonio, a Christian talk-show host who believes the right-wing slant of many Christian evangelists is taking the church into a dangerous direction.
In 1998, the series against the Indiana Pacers of Reggie Miller was the hardest play-off The Chicago Bulls had. In words of Michael Jordan: 'They were big, strong, physical. If I had to pick a team that gave us the toughest time in the east, Indiana was probably the toughest.' In 1997, The Bulls face a stiff challenge to their reign against the Utah Jazz. The day of the fifth game of the final series, tied at two, Michael Jordan suffered food poisoning but tried to play the game. Role player Steve Kerr makes his mark on the dynasty.
North Korea, formerly known as the hermit kingdom, is perhaps the largest source of instability as regards world peace. Its border is one of the most militarized in the world. The lack of impartial information, both inside and coming out of the country, is the perfect setting for a propaganda war, which will be analysed in the film through numerous examples of the surprising way in which information is manipulated, in and about North Korea. Alejandro Cao de Benos, the sole foreigner who works for the People's Republic of Korea Government, and many locals will show us their vision of the reality in North Korea. The other side of the story will be reflected through interviews to South Korean citizens, human rights advocates, diplomats, propaganda experts, etc.
Laurie Anderson embarks on a cinematic journey through love, death and language. Cantering on Anderson's beloved rat terrier Lolabelle, who died in 2011, the film is a personal essay that weaves together childhood memories, video diaries, philosophical musings on data collection, surveillance culture and the Buddhist conception of the afterlife, and heartfelt tributes to the artists, writers, musicians and thinkers who inspire her. Fusing her own witty, inquisitive narration with original violin compositions, hand-drawn animation, 8mm home movies and artwork culled from exhibitions past and present, Anderson creates a hypnotic, collage-like visual language out of the raw materials of her life and art, examining how stories are constructed and told - and how we use them to make sense of our lives.
Ram Dass is now himself approaching the end of his journey. Since suffering a life-changing stroke twenty years ago, he has been living at his home on Maui and deepening his spiritual practice--which is centered on love and his idea of merging with his surroundings and all living things.