The Sufi and the Scientist

Secrets of the King Cobra(en)

A new scientific expedition follows the King Cobra into the wild for the first time.

Rumi: The Wings of Love(en)

Creened in several international film festivals, as well as the Musée de L’Homme in Paris, this film takes viewers into a secret world rarely seen by outsiders. Nearly eight centuries after his death, Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, Sufi master and mystical poet, is ever-present in the whirling ceremony of today’s Mevlevi dervishes. The Halveti zikr, Mevlevi semas, and the Gharib, or secret, sema-not seen for over 100 years-were filmed in Cairo, Istanbul, and the Garden of Rumi in Konya. This unique footage set to Mevlevi music is enhanced by interviews with Sheikh Abu Bakr Siraj ad-Din (Martin Lings), Islamic philosopher and author Seyyed Hossein Nasr, and Sheikh Omer Tugrel Inancer, who reveals the hidden meaning of the reed flute.

The Circles of Remembrance(en)

The Circles of Remembrance is an 82 minute journey into what is usually a hidden world of Sufism. This documentary explores "zikr" ceremonies in Cairo, Istanbul, Morocco, and the U.S., along with interviews with some of the most prominent Sufi scholars and musicians, on the outer and secret meaning of the remembrance of God. Martin Lings, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Gai Eaton, Sheikh Ali Gomma, T.J. Winter,and Tosun Bayrak are among those interviewed.

Dams: The Lethal Water Bombs(en)

Documentary short about the disastrous dangers of aging, ailing dams.

Fez: City of Saints(en)

This exclusive documentary follows the journey of some of the worlds leading Muslim thinkers in a gathering that took place at the heart of an ancient Islamic city It was Habib Umar's first trip to the Maghreb and the film captures his travels and responses as he journeys through a land brimming with spirituality, knowledge and vast history. From the serene courtyards of the University of Qarawiyyin to busling souk streets, from walled city of Fez to the mountainous sanctuary of Moulay Idris, the film shares the spiritual secrets of the places and their stories. The beauty of the great city of Fez, founded by descendants of the Noble Prophet (May Allah swt shower blessings upon him), is shared by a visitor who is himself a direct descendant of that great household. The result is a moving meeting of two traditions that form the very core of great Islamic narrative.

Ganges(en)

A journey that follows the Ganges from its source deep within the Himalayas through to the fertile Bengal delta, exploring the natural and spiritual worlds of this sacred river.

L'âme indienne Martiniquaise(fr)

The Last Maneater: Killer Tigers of India(en)

Sunderbans (Forest of Beauty) is in West Bengal, India, and is the only place on Earth that is the natural habitat of Royal Bengal Tigers that have never known to be fearful of humans. One tiger has been known to kill three fully grown men, leaving behind orphans and widows who belong to poor tribes, dependent on harvesting wild honey and fishing, in a swampy mangrove region. About 80 people are killed annually by these ferocious beasts with razor-sharp jaws, whose forepaws can shatter bones, and sharp teeth can pierce a skull in one bite. Amidst religious superstitions, the narrator attempts to explain the cause behind their taste for human meat in a region devoid of electricity, roadways, firearms and safe drinking water, and why the villagers continue to live there despite of being stalked and mauled on land and water alike.

Tiger: The Elusive Princess(en)

After 25 years of the Project Tiger Scheme operating in the Madhya Pradesh, these magnificent animals have become more trusting, permitting an extraordinary intimate film which follows them from sunrise to sunset, in monsoon rains and in shimmering heat

An immersion into the Divine Feminine(en)

By drawing a parallel between the Indian Durga Puja festival and other forms of celebrating the divine feminine, Santa Shakti reveals the Sacred Power beyond languages and religions.

What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?(en)

Amanda is a divorced woman who makes a living as a photographer. During the Fall of the year Amanda begins to see the world in new and different ways when she begins to question her role in life, her relationships with her career and men and what it all means. As the layers to her everyday experiences fall away insertions in the story with scientists, and philosophers and religious leaders impart information directly to an off-screen interviewer about academic issues, and Amanda begins to understand the basis to the quantum world beneath. During her epiphany as she considers the Great Questions raised by the host of inserted thinkers, she slowly comprehends the various inspirations and begins to see the world in a new way.

Tight: The World of Indian Bodybuilding(en)

Can Aji's talent and triumphs elevate him from his poor, Tamil background to succeed on the national stage at Mr India? Or will his dreams be shattered by corruption and discrimination? The booming world of Indian bodybuilding is a captivating window through which to observe a rapidly changing society, while Aji's journey is a story of unity, brotherhood and celebration of India's incredible diversity.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: Live in Wolverhampton(pa)

Taken from DVD Volume 9, this documentary features the legendary Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan live in concert during his 1985 UK tour. Recorded at Wolverhampton’s Wulfrun Civic Hall on October 25, 1983, the film captures his mesmerizing performance. Known as the "Shahenshah of Qawwali," Nusrat revolutionized the Sufi devotional music tradition with his powerful vocals, intricate improvisations, and deep spiritual expression. Originally produced by Oriental Star Agencies Ltd. in 2004.

India: Introduction to Its History(en)

This film describes the nature and impact of major religions in India, artistic monuments and contributions of each dynasty and cultural development of the people in different regions of the vast subcontinent.

Kolkata with Sue Perkins(en)

Sue Perkins immerses herself in the complex life of Kolkata and sees how it is reinventing itself as a megacity with a reputation for eccentricity, culture and tolerance.

By the River(hi)

Stretching along the river Ganges rests Varanasi, the holiest of India’s seven sacred cities, and a place where devout Hindus go to die in hopes of achieving moksha - becoming liberated from the cycle of rebirth. Hindu scriptures say that a soul has to undergo 8.4 million rebirths before reaching the human form, the only form one can attain moksha, and dying in Varanasi and being cremated along the banks of the river is believed to be the ideal way of achieving this. Several so-called ‘death hotels’ exist to accommodate believers who abandon their lives and come here in wait for death - some for as long as 40 years.

Fascinating India(de)

"Fascinating India" spreads an impressive panorama of India’s historical and contemporary world. The film presents the most important cities, royal residences and temple precincts. It follows the trail of different religious denominations, which have influenced India up to the present day. Simon Busch and Alexander Sass travelled for months through the north of the Indian subcontinent to discover what is hidden under India’s exotic and enigmatic surface, and to show what is rarely revealed to foreigners. The film deals with daily life in India. In Varanasi, people burn their dead to ashes. At the Kumbh Mela, the biggest religious gathering of the world, 35 million pilgrims bathe in holy River Ganges. This is the first time India is presented in such an alluring and engaging fashion on screen.

Picturesque India or, In and About Calcutta(en)

Botanical gardens in Bombay plus the highly decorative Jain Temple in Calcutta.

District Officer(en)

The work of a district officer in the province of Bengal.

Tiger(en)

Journey alongside a young tigress raising her cubs in the fabled forests of India.