Samsara (2023)
Director: Lois Patino
Starring: Amid Keomany, Toumor Xiong, Simone Milavanh, Mariam Vuaa Mtego
Primary genre: Drama
Not to be confused with Ron Fricke’s follow up to his “Baraka” (1992) masterpiece in 2011, Lois Patino’s film is an entire different beast altogether. Despite some misleading in the broader sense posters, you really think that you will be immersing yourself into an experimental documentary willing to discuss the circle of life and death through captivating pictures in crystal clear definition.
And you will be wrong. Patino’s movie is a rather slow and lyrical representation of rebirth held together by flimsy story threads which do not take the viewer by the hand to wholeheartedly explain or water down the experience. Instead, the dialogues are laconic, minimalistic and scarce throughout a two hour running time enough to span two continents and two wildly different countries populated by common spiritual (not religious) elements that unfortunately in the developed world today are being ignored for shoehorned and superficial socio-political messages under the power of individualism.
“Someday you will see your land, your loved ones and your own corpse, and you’ll think “How wonderful it would be to have a new body””
“Samsara” might be slow for inpatient viewers - perhaps too slow - with Patino’s camera panning lethargically 360s to showcase either a class full of Buddhist monks or a Zanzibarian beach. For others, this could be an excuse to delay a bit our swirling and overwhelming emotions in favour of meditative shots bursting with a wide and lively array of Nature’s soothing sounds. The exquisite sound design heavily leans on the latter and less on the nominal dialogue to provide an audio catharsis; those seeking something more than a film will find this approach quite rewarding.
Nevertheless, discussing “Samsara” more would spoil an intriguing and unexpecting surprise that feels like your own personal journey through its poignant story of death and rebirth. Allowing each audience member to contemplate such notions which we tend to ignore these days, a 20 (give or take) minute segment is certain to invoke individual sentiments that potentially have not been felt for a long, long time due to our narcoleptic way of living; a goat represents a powerful metaphor in a world where constant behavioural and even physical perfection is sought by the majority to make room for pointless and hedonistic satisfaction.
“Samsara” should be included in the educational curriculums to teach upcoming generations humility, stoicism and above all, savoring the wonderful thing that is life. More of an experience and less than a fully fledged film, Patino makes a bold yet uncompromising and eloquent statement deserving not only your curiosity but your attention too.
An experience like no other
+A winding down experience
+Symphony of beautiful sounds
+Soothing
+Meditative and beautiful
+Introducing stoic concepts for contemplation
-Maybe too slow for some