News

When a 12-year-old Detroit boy went missing on June 14 and was found 11 days later, it should have been a day to rejoice. Instead, his discovery in the family's basement has turned into weeks of unanswered questions, with some unsettling information about what the child's life may have been like. In a petition filed July 7 in the family division of Wayne County by the Department of Human Services, 12-year-old Charles "Charlie" Bothuell V alleges horrific abuses that he says he suffered at the hands of his father, Charles Bothuell IV, 45, and stepmother Monique Dillard-Bothuell, 36. His father, Bothuell IV, was speaking live...

One of the best documentaries of last year was Ron Fricke's Samsara, a wordless follow-up to Baraka and if you have any doubts as to how provocative a wordless documentary can actually be, the production has just brought online one of the more devastating clips from the film taking a close look at our world's food production. Here's a quote from producer Mark Magidson that accompanied the clip. "We are happy this clip has struck a chord with so many people, and we hope that the interest in this clip will lead viewers to see Samsara in its entirety. This clip represents only 6 minutes from a 100 minute long film, which was photographed in 25 countries and explores many other diverse aspects of the human experience. We would love for viewers to experience Samsara as a whole." ~ producer Mark Magidson Samsara is a film best seen on the biggest screen possible...

Outrage toward the meat industry is by no means a new issue. Books, documentaries and even undercover videos have exposed flaws within the system, often inciting outrage and, in some cases, spurring laws to protect the food industry from the public’s prying eye.

Yet this clip from a 2011 documentary called "Samsara" explores modern food processing through a more artistic approach. Devoid of any dialogue, this six-minute series of vignettes takes the viewer on a journey through poultry, cattle and pork facilities, a grocery store, a fast food restaurant and ends with a doctor’s visit. There are no shots of pigs being beaten, or activists rallying for better animal welfare.

Despite the stunning clip, "Samsara" is not solely about the food industry. In fact, the filmmakers claim to not have any agenda whatsoever. “Our film is more about feelings and an inner journey than an intellectual experience,” "Samsara" producer...

"Argo" remains the Oscar-frontrunner! The Ben Affleck film was the big winner at the recently concluded 63rd Annual Ace Eddie Awards honoring outstanding editing in nine categories of film, television, and documentaries. "Argo" won the Dramatic category, "Silver Linings Playbook" for Comedy/Musical, "Brave" for Animated, and "Searching for Sugar Man" for Documentary.

Here are the complete list of nominees; for winners/nominees of other award-giving bodies, click here:

Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic):

*** Argo

William Goldenberg, A.C.E.

Life of Pi

Tim Squyres, A.C.E.

Lincoln

Michael Kahn, A.C.E.

Skyfall

Stuart Baird, A.C.E.

Zero Dark Thirty

Dylan Tichenor, A.C.E. and William Goldenberg, A.C.E.

Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy Or Musical):

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Chris Gill

Les Misérables

Melanie Ann Oliver & Chris Dickens, A.C.E.

Moonrise Kingdom

Andrew Weisblum, A.C.E.

*** Silver Linings Playbook

Jay Cassidy,...

The American Cinema Editors (Ace) handed out the 2013 Eddie Awards last night and the race didn't change too much, that is unless you were confused as to who the two primary front-runners heading into next Sunday's Oscars were. Argo (edited by William Goldenberg, A.C.E.) and Silver Linings Playbook (edited by Jay Cassidy, A.C.E. and Crispin Struthers) won Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic) and Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy/Musical) respectively. Brave won in the Animated category while presumptive Best Documentary winner, Searching for Sugar Man won in the Documentary category. Of course, just to keep things interesting and ensure "Team Lincoln" didn't go home entirely empty handed, Steven Spielberg received the Ace Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year honor presented to him by longtime collaborator and friend Kathleen Kennedy. I've already updated the Oscar Overture with the wins for Argo and Silver Linings as the path...

Chicago – Blending the spiritual majesty of 1992’s “Baraka” with ominous overtones suggesting a world out of balance (so memorably portrayed in 1982’s “Koyaanisqatsi”), master cinematographer Ron Fricke’s “Samsara” is the sort of rapturous visual feast that his fans have come to expect from him. The key difference here is the spectacular level of clarity brought to each image.

Shot on cumbersome 70mm cameras that were dragged through heavy security across 25 countries, “Samsara” was clearly a labor of love for everyone involved. During its limited theatrical run, the film was screened in a brand-new high-resolution 4K digital projection that boggled moviegoers’ minds with its unprecedented depth of detail. The impact of such an intense sensory experience is often dramatically diminished on the small screen, but thankfully the 8K UltraDigital HD version of the film available on Blu-ray is a mammoth exception.

Blu-ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

The scintillating perfection of Fricke’s gorgeously...

The American Cinema Editors (Ace) has announced the nominees of the 63rd Annual Ace Eddie Awards honoring outstanding editing in nine categories of film, television, and documentaries. We'll find out the winners on Saturday, February 16th.

Here are the complete list of nominees; for winners/nominees of other award-giving bodies, click here:

Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic):

Argo

William Goldenberg, A.C.E.

Life of Pi

Tim Squyres, A.C.E.

Lincoln

Michael Kahn, A.C.E.

Skyfall

Stuart Baird, A.C.E.

Zero Dark Thirty

Dylan Tichenor, A.C.E. and William Goldenberg, A.C.E.

Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy Or Musical):

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Chris Gill

Les Misérables

Melanie Ann Oliver & Chris Dickens, A.C.E.

Moonrise Kingdom

Andrew Weisblum, A.C.E.

Silver Linings Playbook

Jay Cassidy, A.C.E. & Crispin Struthers

Ted

Jeff Freeman, A.C.E.

Best Edited Animated Feature Film:

Brave -- Nicolas C.

The American Cinema Editors (Ace) announced the nominees for the 2013 Ace Eddie Awards today and among them are all five Oscar nominees, four of them -- Argo, Life of Pi, Lincoln and Zero Dark Thirty -- in the Dramatic category and the fifth, Silver Linings Playbook, in the Comedy/Musical category. There isn't really too much else to say about the noms considering in previous years these nominations came out before the Oscar nominations were announced giving reason to speculate on which of the several films would end up nominated for Oscars. Considering that's not the case this year, this will all become a little more interesting when they announce their winners on Saturday, February 16. For now, the nominees are listed below in the Dramatic, Musical or Comedy, Animated and Documentary categories. Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic): Argo - William Goldenberg, A.C.E. Life of Pi - Tim Squyres,...

The nominees for the 63rd Annual Ace Eddie Awards was announced today. Ace, the American Cinema Editors, is an honorary society of motion picture editors founded in 1950. Film editors are voted into membership on the basis of their professional achievements, their dedication to the education of others and their commitment to the craft of editing. Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic): Argo William Goldenberg, A.C.E Life of Pi Tim Squyres, A.C.E. Lincoln Michael Kahn, A.C.E. Skyfall Stuart Baird, A.C.E. Zero Dark Thirty Dylan Tichenor, A.C.E. & William Goldenberg, A.C.E. Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy Or Musical): The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Chris Gill Les Misérables Melanie Ann Oliver & Chris Dickens, A.C.E. Moonrise Kingdom Andrew Weisblum, A.C.E. Silver Linings Playbook Jay Cassidy, A.C.E. & Crispin Struthers Ted Jeff Freeman, A.C.E. Best Edited...

Universal City, CA, Jan. 11 –American Cinema Editors (Ace) today announced nominations for the 63rd Annual Ace Eddie Awards recognizing outstanding editing in nine categories of film, television and documentaries. Winners will be revealed during Ace’s annual black-tie awards ceremony on Saturday, February 16, 2013 in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Actor / Comedian David Cross (“Arrested Development”) will serve as the Master of Ceremonies that evening. Next week Ace will announce the Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year honoree and two Career Achievement honorees. The Ace Eddie Award nominees in nine categories are listed below. A tie in the Best Animated Feature Film category resulted in four nominees this year instead of three. Nominees For 63rd Annual Ace Eddie Awards Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic) Argo William Goldenberg, A.C.E. Life of Pi Tim Squyres, A.C.E. Lincoln Michael Kahn, A.C.E. Skyfall Stuart Baird, A.

After brothers Bill and Turner Ross screened their new film for the first time at SXSW earlier this year, they went to lunch with representatives of Oscilloscope Laboratories, the film distribution company started by the late Beastie Boy Adam Yauch.

"Things came together pretty quickly after that," recalls Bill Ross to Rolling Stone. "It seemed so right. It was a perfect fit for us."

Having grown up listening to the Beastie Boys, Ross had a "geek-out moment," he says, as soon as he realized he'd be partnering with Yauch's company.

Freestyle Releasing and Freestyle Digital Media announce today that they have acquired theatrical and all DVD and VOD rights to The Playroom, the critically acclaimed drama directed by Julia Dyer (.Late Bloomers.), which stars Academy Award-nominee John Hawkes (.Winter.s Bone,. .The Sessions.) and Molly Parker (Dexter, The Firm). The film, which premiered in the gala/spotlight section of this year.s Tribeca Film Festival, was produced by Stephen Dyer (.Hysteria.) and Angie Meyer (.Wuss.), and is slated for a day and date release on theatrical and DVD/VOD February 8th, 2013.

Set in the suburbs during the 1970s, the story unfolds like a dream wrapped around a family drama, one in which all members of the Cantwell family struggle to find their way in a rapidly changing world. Maggie (newcomer Olivia Harris) is a vulnerable yet tempestuous teenager who acts as big sister and surrogate mother to her three younger siblings.

Every thirty days, I like to post a list of my favorite films I’ve recently watched. Here are the best films I’ve seen throughout the month of September. This list is based on movies theatrically released here in Canada, and I do not include what I have seen at film festivals.

****

1: Holy Motors

Directed by Leos Carax

Written by Leos Carax

Holy Motors is a carefully structured work of art; reflective, palpable, playful, absurd, precise and entirely engrossing. Motors is a prime reminder or why cinema is so treasured and celebrated. In this film, as in life, nothing is explained and things just get stranger by the minute. When most cinema these days produces nothing but the ordinary, a movie like Holy Motors is a treasure to behold and worthy of multiple viewings (I’ve seen it three times so far). This preposterous piece of filmmaking is exhilarating,...

Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson's visually sumptuous 70mm documentary "Samsara" has become Oscilloscope Laboratories' biggest hit since its founding in February 2008.  This past weekend, the documentary surpassed O-scope's previous benchmark, 2011's "We Need to Talk about Kevin," which totalled $1.7 million at the domestic box office.  Shot over five years in twenty-five countries on five continents, "Samsara" is the third explorative collaboration between Fricke and Magidson, after "Baraka" and "Chronos."  "Samsara" premiered on August 24 in New York and Seattle to the highest per-screen-average of any documentary released in 2012.  As of October 14, 2012 "Samsara" has grossed over $1.8 million. Despite rumors of change at the company in September after the passing of company founder Adam Yauch and the departure of David Fenkel, the studio is moving full steam ahead. ...

Because so many great films have their world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, it’s not surprising to see a lot of documentaries celebrate anniversaries around this time. For instance, Ron Fricke’s Baraka turns 20 years old today, having debuted at Tiff back on September 15, 1992, when the event was still known as the “Festival of Festivals.” It’s a special time to celebrate the non-narrative, non-verbal masterpiece, and not just because Fricke’s follow-up (he doesn’t consider it a sequel), Samsara, is currently wowing audiences around the country in a just-expanded theatrical release. Thanks to a fashionable interest in 70mm exhibition right now, Baraka (the first movie in twenty years shot in the Todd-ao 70mm format) also just finished up a week-long re-release at the Alamo Drafthouse and has screened recently in other cities in the format, as well. If you missed or are unable to see Baraka on the big screen, though...

Director Ron Fricke (Baraka, Chronos) and producer Mark Magidson reunite to bring audiences another visually stunning and dynamic portrait of life on earth with Samsara. The first movie in over a decade shot entirely on 70mm film, the theme of Samsara is based on its translation from the Sanskrit language. Literally meaning "to flow on" through the cycles of life and thus the "ever-turning wheel of life," the filmmakers explore the interconnections between cultures and societies around the globe.

Samsara was filmed over a period of five years in 25 countries, documenting sacred rituals, disaster zones, urban industrial sites, as well as natural and historical wonders. The audience is treated to over an hour and a half journey across the continents, visiting a range of sights from the Wailing Wall in Old City, Jerusalem to the lingering and decaying aftermath of post-Katrina floods in New Orleans' Ninth Ward; from the natural...

Samsara

Directed by Ron Fricke

USA, 2011

Halfway through Samsara, a pair of heavily tattooed young people, a man and woman, are shown on camera. The woman is staring directly at the camera, as do many of the people highlighted in this documentary. The man’s shaved forehead, however, is bowed so we can see one of his many bits of body art, a tattoo crowning the front of his head, reading “Methodical.” It’s fitting that this word is featured so prominently, even in a shot that winds up lasting about 15 seconds. Samsara, Ron Fricke’s follow-up to the 1992 film Baraka, is nothing short of meticulous, a 100-minute plunge into our modern world and our fractured sense of reality.

Samsara is more a visual tone poem than a typical documentary. It’s similar to nature films shot in IMAX (this was shot on 70Mm but is being presented digitally), except...

Like its predecessors Chronos and Baraka, Samsara is a documentary with only its poetic connections between its images to create a thematic narrative. Capturing footage from a touted five continents, Samsara is an experience that doesn’t educate viewers about the content on screen (but instead opens their minds to a universality between subjects of many different backgrounds (National Geographic, this is not).

Ron Fricke was cinematographer for the film, and its director. Mark Magidson produced, while they both edited and wrote Samsara.

Over the phone, I talked to Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson about making their film, the process of editing such a massive movie, the inevitably beautiful Blu-ray that will be made for Samsara, and more.

Samsara opens in Chicago on September 7.

When it comes to making these films, how much time is spent preparing as opposed to actual filming?

Mark Magidson: A lot of setting up,...

Samara

Directed by: Ron Fricke & Mark Magidson

Documentary

Running Time: 1 hr 34 mins

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: Sept 7, 2012 (Chicago)

Plot: A series of visual sequences captured around the world that express universal themes of life and death.

Who’S It For? If you like massive films, and are open to the idea of filmed sequences not having a narrative, then Samsara is an eye-opening treat for you. If you wished someone would use the scope of something like The Dark Knight Rises towards documenting real wonder, here’s Samsara.

Overall

When alien historians saunter down to our planet to clean up after 2017′s World War Oops, we’d better hope that they uncover Samsara when writing their research books on Earth culture. With no immediate parallel but to its predecessors Baraka and Chronos, it is a film that best condenses the diversity and simultaneous universality of existence on our planet, all...

A rambling assault on the visual cortex that teeters between guided meditation and guided tour. Put on your seatbelts and open your mind, the ride on Ron Fricke.s and Mark Magidson.s .Samsara. is about to begin. From his modest beginnings with .Chronos,. travelling through the odd, dreadful and beautiful in eight countries, .Samsara. opens up twenty-four nations to the critical eye of the filmmaker. As director Fricke puts it, .Doing these films takes a big chunk of your life force.. As it turns out, watching them takes a chunk of your life force as well. After you have finished you may want the chunk back, again. Filmed in straight 70 mm celluloid, this may be one of that last high...

Chicago – In our latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 20 pairs of guaranteed, anytime movie passes plus 5 grand prize packs up for grabs for the new Oscilloscope Laboratories film “Samsara” from the creators of the award-winning film “Baraka”! Each prize pack includes an autographed poster, soundtrack and “Baraka” Blu-ray!

“Samsara” from writer and director Ron Fricke and writer Mark Magidson opens on Sept. 7, 2012 at Landmark Century Centre Cinema in Chicago. “Samsara” was filmed over a period of five years in 25 countries on five continents. Shot on 70-millimeter film, “Samsara” transports us to the varied worlds of sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial complexes and natural wonders.

These run-of-engagement movie passes are good for any scheduled “Samsara” showing Sunday through Thursday at Landmark Century Centre Cinema in Chicago. To win your “Samsara” movie passes or a grand prize pack courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our unique Hookup technology directly below.

Chicago – It is revitalizing to take a break from traditional cinema, and the new artistic film “Samsara” is a non-linear quasi-documentary and travelogue that is a parade of images contemplating existence and the beauty around us. Who doesn’t need that tonic of meditation every so often?

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson are expanding on concepts explored in their previous films “Baraka” and “Chronos,” which also explore non-linear imagery. This film goes all over the world over five years, but mostly focuses on the humanity that strives within it. With the time-lapse view of ordinary events, personhood is reduced to a primal state, one of tribes and animalistic movements. The rhythms and the soundtrack are reflective of these images and create a soothing visual symphony for virtually all the senses.

The film begins with a series of close-ups, faces in compose. There is suddenly movement, dancing and then...

Shot in 70mm over a period of five years in 25 countries by Ron Fricke, the man who photographed Koyaanisqatsi and directed Chronos and Baraka, this is a compilation, or collage, of beautiful and striking images put together for suggestive and meditative effect. There is no commentary but there is music, some specially commissioned, and a "concept" devised by Fricke and producer/co-editor/co-writer Mark Magidson, turning on a variety of opposites – growth/decay, wonder/disgust, tradition/rootlessness, purpose/futility, faith/disbelief. Much of the stop-motion or undercranked camerawork is designed to make crowds into seething anthills and to emphasise the absurdity of repetitive work, and it's rather trying. Still, there are so many remarkable images that there is something every few seconds to provoke or please. I was reminded, however, of a line by the New Yorker writer Peter De Vries: "On the surface he may seem deep. But deep down inside,...

News.

After three years as Artistic Director of the Locarno Film Festival, Olivier Père has stepped down and is now the managing director of Arte France Cinema. His time with the festival were pivotal years in which he transformed its direction and established Locarno as one of the key cinephilic stops on the circuit. I was fortunate enough to enjoy what has now surprisingly become the final festival under his direction. Père offers some parting words over at his official blog (which is well worth perusing for the rest of its contents). Cinema Scope has launched its intimidatingly comprehensive online pre-coverage of Tiff—in which yours truly will be taking part in. Check the introductory post here, and the first content from Jason Anderson and Mark Peranson on Peter Mettler's The End of Time and Miguel Gomes' Tabu, respectively.

Finds.

Above: A brief clip from Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers,...

It was an unexpectedly potent late-summer weekend at the specialty box office, with two openers -- "Sleepwalk With Me" and "Samsara" -- scoring among the best limited debuts of the year and anti-Obama doc "2016: Obama's America" soaring into the overall top 10 to become the highest-grossing conservative documentary ever. "Sleepwalk With Me" -- directed by Mike Birbiglia and released by IFC Films -- broke some records of its own. At New York's IFC Center (and helped by personal appearances by Ira Glass -- who co-wrote the film -- at nearly every Q&A), it broke the IFC Center's house record and attained the third best per-theater average of the year so far, behind arthouse sensations "Moonrise Kingdom" and "To Rome With Love." Oscilloscope-released "Samsara" had many reasons to celebrate as well. The Ron Fricke- and Mark Magidson-directed documentary -- which is a non-verbal continuation of...

The cinematic dream team of director and cinematographer Ron Fricke and producer Mark Magidson placed the bar high when they set out to make Samsara. A visual montage of portraits and landscapes filmed for over five years in 25 countries, their stage set is literally the world. Their main character is the host of images put onscreen—a slightly more dynamic version of photography—and, being a nonverbal film, the only script is the musical score. Oh, and the plotline? Nothing less than that into which the film’s title translates (from Sanskrit)—“the ever-turning wheel of life.”...

Samsara is not a traditional movie experience by any means, specifically due to the manner in which it defies the standard approach of both narrative and documentary filmmaking. There is no dialogue, no voice over, no story or plot per se. Instead the film opts for something more operatic, eschewing the typical expectations of what a movie should be for a grander vision of the world that maintains a unique universal appeal for people of any culture, race and creed. It is a bold attempt to use the art and language of the moving image as a means for mutual recognition.

Yet this universality is slightly undercut by one’s degree of patience, since sitting in a state of near meditation for 99 minutes as beautiful imagery unfolds alongside atmospheric music may not be your cup of tea. However, there is an almost transcendental quality to the masterful filmmaking on display...

Anyone who thinks there's nothing new to be found in movie theaters during the late summer may want to reconsider when they see Samsara , the new movie from filmmakers Ron Fricke (on left) and Mark Magidson, whose continued experiments in creating visual and musical meditations have taken them across the globe to capture sights and sequences very few people ever have a chance to experience. Fricke first began experimenting working in the nonverbal medium with Godfrey Reggio on the 1982 art film Koyaanisquatsi: Life Out of Balance in which Fricke's distinctive time-lapse photography really turned a lot of heads. From there, Fricke joined up with Magidson to make the 45-minute IMAX film Chronos and its 1992 feature length follow-up Baraka , both times travelling across the globe...

Title: Samsara Oscilloscope Laboratories Reviewed for Shockya by Harvey Karten Grade: B+ Director/ Photographer/ Editor: Ron Fricke Producer: Mark Magidson Screened at: Park Ave., NYC, 7/31/12 Opens: August 24, 2012 If you resent the prices at the local cinema especially in big cities where the tariff could be $13 for adults and $20 for 3-D, you’re justified, of course, particularly when you have a family of four that demands a weekly treat. But how would you like to go to a movie that allows you to save $15,000 per person, maybe more? Head for “Samsara,” four and one-half years in the making, a travelogue that will take you to twenty-five [ Read More ]...

Filmed for over five years in 25 countries and on 70mm, "Samsara" can most simply be described as an experience. There are no words, just a driving score; no characters, just startlingly honest portraits; no sets, just a global stage. The title, a Sanskrit word that translates into “the ever turning wheel of life,” is the center point around which a 99 minute series of moving images revolves, each one remote, unusual, and absolutely beautiful in some way. Sound like a tall order? It is. Director and cinematographer Ron Fricke and producer Mark Magidson are practiced at this nonverbal visual art form, though. In fact, having together made two other films of the same breed before – "Chronos" (1985) and "Baraka" (1992) – it’s safe to say they’ve mastered it. Here, the two discuss how they made their creation about creation. Added with your past two films, "Samsara" is your third time producing...

One of the best films I've seen this year is director Ron Fricke's Samsara, a wordless documentary of images that provoke emotions. The title is a Sanskrit word that means "the ever turning wheel of life" and to capture that life, the images that make up the 102-minute film were captures in nearly a hundred locations across 25 countries over the course of five years. The result is one of the most moving theatrical experiences I have had the pleasure to be part of. Fricke and his production partner Mark Magidson have put together a film that touches on so many aspects of the human condition, our lives, the way we treat our world and those around us, religion, technology, what we eat, where it comes from and where it goes and it does all of this without a single piece of narration or on screen titles. 20 years ago the duo brought us Baraka,...

A scene from Samsara

Photo: Oscilloscope Laboratories In response to the user survey I posted back at the beginning of July you may have noticed a few new additions on the site lately. I've started the Morning 5 column, in recent days the Night Cap and today I bring you Overlooked Trailers, a feature I will be posting on Fridays featuring trailers of interest that I may have, for one reason or another, not gotten to over the course of the week and trailers I simply didn't feel like writing about... such as those you'll find on the second page of this inaugural edition. Many of you said you'd like to see information for smaller and independent films posted more often and this is only one of the ways I hope to do that and today I have a couple of titles -- Samsara and The Ambassador -- that look incredibly appealing,...

Samsara

Written by: Ron Fricke, Mark Magidson | Directed by: Ron Fricke

Certainly not your what would be your normal cinema outing, Samsara is more of an experience than a film: a non-narrative, non-verbal portrayal of the world and its people. The film is made up of a series of clips covering many parts of the world, looking at the various landscapes and communities that all share the same planet.

Samsara is quite a lovely way to spend a couple of hours, and I imagine more people would like it than who will actually see it. The cinematography is exquisite work, certain shots are the definition of breathtaking. The fact that it’s been shot entirely on 70mm film is being used as one of their main selling points, and for people who know and care, it shows, but I do wonder whether the size of the film actually means something to enough people.

Back in April we got our first glimpse at the stunning documentary Samsara, a film from filmmakers Ron Fricke (who also edited the iconic Koyaanisqatsi) and Mark Magidson, who delivered the acclaimed film Baraka previously. What makes this film special is that it was shot entirely on 70mm film, and that hasn't been done in over a decade. Now a new trailer shows off even more of the gorgeous footage captured for a documentary that is said to be an "unparalleled sensory experience." I really hope I get the chance to see this in all its 70mm glory, because there is some truly beautiful cinematography at work here. Watch below! Here's the new trailer for Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson's Samsara originally from Apple: Samsara reunites filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson, whose award-winning films Baraka and the short Chronos brought a new visual and musical artistry to theaters.

If the Cloud Atlas trailer didn’t pack enough visual wallop for you, your brain may need to get checked. However, if you still need more eyeball candy, we’ve got another visual treat today and it’s for a film that narrows it scope to just one time period. But that’s not to say Samsara is some small drama, rather a globe-sprawling documentary with some staggering cinematography, all shot on expansive 70Mm.

Directed by Ron Fricke, the cinematographer behind Godfrey Reggio‘s stunning documentary Koyaanisqatsi is following up 1992′s Baraka with Samsara. Spending the last half-decade making the film which was shot in over 100 location, this one looks to be one of the best theatrical experiences of the year. While it will only likely get a small release, hopefully it lands close to you. Check out the new trailer below via Apple, which is comparable to our first look.

eOne and Hopscotch Films have acquired Australian and New Zealand rights to Samsara, the follow-up to Baraka. Filmed over a period of five years in 25 countries on five continents and shot on 70mm film, Samsara reunites director Ron Fricke and producer Mark Magidson. They teamed on Baraka and Chronos. Samsara depicts the varied worlds of sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial complexes, and natural wonders and by dispensing with dialogue and descriptive text, the film veers from the traditional documentary. eOne Canada already bought rights to the film in Canada and will release it in the fall. Oscilloscope releases the film August 24 in the U.S.

Late Beastie Boy's film company, Oscilloscope Laboratories, carries on his legacy.

By Fallon Prinzivalli

Adam Yauch in 1999

Photo: Mick Hutson/ Getty Images

With the news Friday that Beastie Boy Adam Yauch lost his battle with cancer, distraught fans turned up "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)" and remembered the rapper's incredible musical accomplishments. But those of us with an eye on movies remember McA's contributions to the film industry as well.

With countless Beastie songs featured on movie soundtracks, including J.J. Abram's "Star Trek" and Marvel's "Iron Man 2," there's no doubt the group as a whole had success in film. But Yauch took it a step further when he dove into directing documentaries and shorts, including "Fight for Your Right Revisited," his 2011 Sundance Film Festival debut that acted as a sequel to the hip-hop trio's 1987 music video.

Most notably, however, Yauch launched the indie production and distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories.

Late Beastie Boy's film company, Oscilloscope Laboratories, carries on his legacy.

By Fallon Prinzivalli

Adam Yauch in 1999

Photo: Mick Hutson/ Getty Images

With the news Friday that Beastie Boy Adam Yauch lost his battle with cancer, distraught fans turned up "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)" and remembered the rapper's incredible musical accomplishments. But those of us with an eye on movies remember McA's contributions to the film industry as well.

With countless Beastie songs featured on movie soundtracks, including J.J. Abram's "Star Trek" and Marvel's "Iron Man 2," there's no doubt the group as a whole had success in film. But Yauch took it a step further when he dove into directing documentaries and shorts, including "Fight for Your Right Revisited," his 2011 Sundance Film Festival debut that acted as a sequel to the hip-hop trio's 1987 music video.

Most notably, however, Yauch launched the indie production and distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories.

The world we live in is such an amazing place, and there are places I will never go to or get to see in person. Seeing these places in the movies might just be the closest I ever get to some of these places, so it's just another reason we can be thankful for the art of filmmaking.

You're about to watch a stunning trailer to an insanely beautiful looking documentary called Samsara, which explores “the links between humanity and the rest of nature.” It was directed by Ron Fricke (Baraka) who shot the entire film using epic 70mm photography. This looks like an incredible film, and I'm excited about seeing it.

Here's the Synospis:

Prepare yourself for an unparalleled sensory experience. Samsara reunites filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson, whose award-winning films Baraka and Chronos brought a new visual and musical artistry to theaters. Dispensing with dialogue and descriptive text,...

In Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikkhism this world of ceaseless flow and change is known as samsara, but Mark Magidson and Ron Fricke’s publicity department, has now offered a slightly modified definition. Samsara is a nonverbal, guided meditation that will transform viewers around the world as they are swept along on a journey of the [...]

Continue reading Watch: First Trailer for Documentary Samsara on FilmoFilia.

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In 1982, Ron Fricke wrote, edited and directed photography for Koyaanisqatsi, a movie that’s become a modern experimental classic that sought to create a pure sensory experience beyond what narrative storytelling could do. It’s the kind of film that audiences have to yield to, letting it wash over them like color-wrapped sound waves, and it seems likely that Samsara will be artistically related to Fricke’s early work. He re-teams here with Mark Magidson to create something that – if the movie delivers on its trailer – has to be seen and heard to be believed. The pair are most known for their work on the short doc Chronos and the feature Baraka, and their style is one that mashes moments together in order to find a sense of meaning. They’re incredibly good at it. Plus, the imagery! It’s amazing. The kind of stuff that steals your heart right out of your chest and makes you...

After viewing the trailer, it’s easy to correlate the beginnings of director Ron Fricke. The man was the cinematographer Godfrey Reggio‘s stunning documentary Koyaanisqatsi and now his latest film, following up Baraka in 1992, looks to be another beautiful work of art. Filmed completely in the phenomenal 70mm film format, Samsara attempts to tap into the language of life itself and while a lofty goal, one can not deny the stirring images on display. Fricke spent the last half-decade making the film which was shot in over 100 locations. Forgot 3D, here’s hoping this one gets the projection it deserves. Check out the trailer below via Apple.

Synopsis:

Prepare yourself for an unparalleled sensory experience. Samsara reunites filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson, whose award-winning films Baraka and Chronos brought a new visual and musical artistry to theaters. Dispensing with dialogue and descriptive text, Samsara explores the wonders of our world,...

Following their fantastic films Baraka, filmmakers Ron Fricke (who also edited the iconic Koyaanisqatsi) and Mark Magidson are back with a stunning new documentary called Samsara. Fricke says the film "will delve deeper into my favorite theme: humanity's relationship to the eternal." Shot entirely on 70mm film (which hasn't been done in over a decade), the feature length documentary was shot in about 100 locations in 25 countries, and took over four years to complete. The trailer speaks for itself as the imagery is just beautiful, stunning, and would make Terrence Malick turn his head. Watch the gorgeous trailer below! Here's the first trailer for Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson's Samsara originally from Apple: You can also download the official Samsara trailer in High Definition over on Apple Samsara reunites filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson, whose award-winning films Baraka and the short Chronos brought a new visual and musical artistry to theaters.

The SXSW Film Festival has shuttered its doors for another year, and now news reaches us that the winner of this year's Best Narrative Feature award has found a distributor, as did two other festival favorites from Park City and Tiff.

Deadline reports that Sundance Selects has acquired the Latin and North American rights to Adam Leon's “Gimme the Loot,” his NYC-set drama that found popularity with the SXSW crowd immediately after it screened. Before one objects to another Biggie biopic though, the film promises instead a vibrant look at two graffiti artists from the Bronx (Tashiana Washington and Ty Hickson), who seek revenge on a local gang by tagging a famous city landmark. With his feature debut, Leon seems to have replicated the festival success of Jonathan Levine's film “The Wackness,” which also made a stir with its outstanding soundtrack, young cast, and the reverent look at New York life.

Fans of Mark Magidson and Ron Fricke's 1992 non-narrative film "Baraka" should be pleased to learn that their latest film "Samsara" will be arriving in theaters this August. Oscilloscope Laboratories has just announced its acquisition of the film. The film had its world premiere at last year's Toronto International Film Festival. "Samsara" takes its named from the Sanskrit word for "the ever turning wheel of life." The film, shot over four years in 25 different countries, explores the wonders of the world, both natural and man-made. Full press release below: Oscilloscope Laboratories Takes Samsara Follow-up to the World Renowned Film Baraka Will Open in Theaters August 2012 New York, NY (March 14, 2012)—Oscilloscope Laboratories announced today that it has acquired Us rights to Samsara, the third feature from filmmakers Mark Magidson and Ron Fricke, which had its world premiere at the Toronto Film...

Filmmaker Ron Fricke followed up his groundbreaking documentary Baraka (1992) with another non-fiction film of dazzling color and beautiful world music. Samsara, the Tibetan word for ‘the ever turning wheel of life,’ wowed audiences at last fall’s Toronto Film Festival with its amazing footage of sacred sites, industrial landscapes and scenic landscapes around the world. Fricke and producer and co-writer Mark Magidson filmed Samsara over four years and their efforts paid off with a post-festival acquisition deal. Variety confirmed today that Oscilloscope acquired U.S. rights to the nature doc with plans to release the film in theaters this summer.

Filmmaker Ron Fricke followed up his groundbreaking documentary Baraka (1992) with another non-fiction film of dazzling color and beautiful world music. Samsara, the Tibetan word for ‘the ever turning wheel of life,’ wowed audiences at last fall’s Toronto Film Festival with its amazing footage of sacred sites, industrial landscapes and scenic landscapes around the world. Fricke and producer and co-writer Mark Magidson filmed Samsara over four years and their efforts paid off with a post-festival acquisition deal. Variety confirmed today that Oscilloscope acquired U.S. rights to the nature doc with plans to release the film in theaters this summer.

Filmmaker Ron Fricke followed up his groundbreaking documentary Baraka (1992) with another non-fiction film of dazzling color and beautiful world music. Samsara, the Tibetan word for ‘the ever turning wheel of life,’ wowed audiences at last fall’s Toronto Film Festival with its amazing footage of sacred sites, industrial landscapes and scenic landscapes around the world. Fricke and producer and co-writer Mark Magidson filmed Samsara over four years and their efforts paid off with a post-festival acquisition deal. Variety confirmed today that Oscilloscope acquired U.S. rights to the nature doc with plans to release the film in theaters this summer.

"Samsara," the latest film from "Baraka" and "Chronos" filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson had its U.S. premiere last week at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (it previously screened at Tiff last year). The companion piece to 1992's "Baraka," which has since become a cult hit for its stunning visuals and philosophical, non-verbal storytelling, follows much in the same vein. The title, "Samsara," is the Tibetan word for "the ever turning wheel of life," and deals with concepts of birth, rebirth and death on a scale that is both global and intimate. The film was shot on location all over the world on 70 mm film, utilizing Fricke's signature time lapse photography, and continuing to push the technological boundaries by incorporating computerized camera movement. We had a chance to sit down with "Samsara" and "Baraka" producer Mark Magidson the morning after the movie unspooled to a...

Documentaries have come a long way in the past twenty years, especially in the past decade. Ten years ago, I would have been at a loss for words had you asked me to name ten “great” documentaries released in a single year. Documentary film has developed into a popular and visible form of entertainment, while having a bigger effect on society, usually addressing important issues with the goal of informing the public and pushing for social change.

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