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THE first World Spiritual Film Festival concluded on January 27, 2004 at Laguna Anjuna, Goa. The Festival began on January 21, 2004 and in six nights, 21 films from 12 different countries were screened. Hundreds of serious film-lovers from many countries came to enjoy the films in a beautiful outdoor set-up. There were sessions in which the viewers interacted with the film-makers. Internationally renowned and seasoned musicians specially came to attend this unique festival. They played music in between films thus giving the festival an aura of spirituality. The Festival concluded with Mahakumbh an extremely well researched and aesthetically documented Indian film of half an hour, directed by Devendra Khandelwal.
The concept of this film festival was to give the film-makers around the world an opportunity to experience diversity of spirituality through films, beyond borders and belief systems and to know that we are all united and that there is no limitation or separation.
Some of the notable films shown during the festival besides, Mahakumbh by Devendra Khandelwal (India); were Zorba III Buddha by Lakshen Scamelli (Italy); Shooting God by Scott Snyder (USA); A Love Supreme by Nilesh Patel (UK); The Peanut Net by Charley Case (Belgium) and Kaz Nakanishi (Japan); Chapter 2; How to Breath by Lee Hyung-suk (Korea); Kings on Straw Matt by Ira Kohen (USA); APA by Menlibayeva Almagul (Kazakhstan); Scent of India by Patrizio Benedetti (Italy); Spiritual Spining (Slovenia); MALA by No Budget Productions (Israel) and Return to Lights by Gregory and Maria Pearse (USA).
The Festival was organised by Miss Al Onogi, a film-maker from Japan. Her film Sufi in Love (a documentary of Sufi practices in Kyrgyzstan) was special invitee at The Central Asia Film Festival.
(FOC)
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