Short Cut To Nirvana
by Nick Day (II), Maurizio Benazzo
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Jasper Johal, Justin Davis (XI), Pilot Baba, Swami Krishnanad, Yog MataDirector: Maurizio Benazzo, Nick Day (II)
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Hindi (Original Language); English (Subtitled)
Format: Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 85 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-10-25
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Zeitgeist Films
Movie Reviews of Short Cut To Nirvana
Movie Review: Waste of your time and money.
Summary: 1 Stars
India has a glorious history of Spiritual traditions. Its spiritual culture has given rise to numerous saints and sages since the beginning of time, through millenia, down to the present age. In return these saints and sages have enriched the spiritual traditions.
The origins and perpetuation of such mass gatherings are rooted in search for true spiritual upliftment. What the makers of this documentary have done is to pick a few sensational events that are not at all normal, and are sometimes freakish, only to appeal to the curiosity of Westerners. It is just one other case of Westerners making documentaries for Westerners on an Eastern matter and showing the sensational aspects rather than the true longing for salvation in the hearts of the multitudes. It all boils down to how to market the sensational aspects of a spiritual tradition to make more money!
This is not what the true Kumbha Mela is about. I know of no other system in this entire world which can bring about a cessation of suffering -- in all of its forms, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual -- in the lives of human beings, as do the combined teachings of Yoga. All of which have been flourishing since time immemorial on the spiritual soil of India. The Kumbha Mela is but one event in the longing of man to attain salvation from the abysmal suffering inherent in these rounds of birth and death.
If you are like me and are seeking material to inspire yourself in your pursuit of Truth and Liberation, I advise you to save your dollars and spend it elsewhere such as buying some good book or DVD on yoga. I advise you to save your time as well and cook yourself a wholesome meal rather than watch this flawed documentary of an otherwise uplifting gathering for the multitudes of seekers.
Summary of Short Cut To Nirvana
This enthralling documentary treks to the heart of the largest gathering of humanity on Earth: the Kumbh Mela. The huge festival has been held in India every 12 years for over two millennia, but is little known in the West-until now. The film spectacularly captures the sheer spiritual bliss, eternal wisdom and candid joy that envelop both the festival's pilgrims and world-renowned gurus in attendance. SHORTCUT TO NIRVANA also features a special appearance by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.You could call it a meeting or even a festival, but such words are entirely insufficient to describe the concept of Kumbh Mela. In Short Cut to Nirvana, Maurizio Benazzo and Nick Day take a loose, non-judgmental look at a gathering that has been taking place for over two millennia. As many as 70 million attended when they shot the film in 2001 (whittled down to 85 minutes from 3,500 hours of footage). The celebration takes place every 12 years, between the holy Indian rivers of the Ganges and the Yamuna. Even Mark Twain once made the trip. The documentary opens with his recollection of an 1895 Kumbh Mela: "Pilgrims plodded for months to get here, worn, poor, and hungry, but sustained by unwavering faith." Then there's His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, who has attended twice, the first time in the 1960s. He came to learn about other religions and to promote harmony between them. He makes it clear that he isn't there to convert anyone, but rather to learn. The film's unofficial guide is Swami Krishnanand, a Hindu monk, who translates the messages of various yogis, sadhus, and other spiritual figures. He is joined by a couple of open-minded Westerners, Dyan Summers and Justin Davis, who share their thoughts about the experience with the filmmakers. Short Cut to Nirvana is a lively, impressionistic introduction to a monumental event. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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