‎Samsara (2011) directed by Ron Fricke • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

Samsara

2011 Directed by Ron Fricke

Samsara is a word that describes the ever turning wheel of life. It is a concept both intimate and vast - the perfect subject for filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson, whose previous collaborations include Chronos and Baraka, and who, in the last 20 years, have travelled to over 58 countries together in the pursuit of unique imagery. Samsara takes the form of a nonverbal, guided meditation that will transform viewers in countries around the world as they are swept along a journey of the soul. Through powerful images pristinely photographed in 70mm and a dynamic music score, the film illuminates the links between humanity and the rest of the nature, showing how our life cycle mirrors the rhythm of the planet.

Marcos Luna Putu Dinda Pratika Puti Sri Candra Dewi Ni Made Megahadi Pratiwi

102 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by bwolo ★★★

Cool feature-length adaptation of Madonna's "Ray of Light" video [THIS HAS BEEN A JOKE ABOUT TIME-LAPSE PHOTOGRAPHY. THANKS FOR READING.]
Review by Julie ★★ 5

While undeniably beautiful, this film left a bad taste in my mouth. Samsara is a series of images, cut together in fairly rapid succession, taking the viewer on a “global” tour of the “cultures of the world”. Some images are meant to be purely aesthetically beautiful (which they are), some images are meant to be confrontational. But as these are just images, without context, and in the absence of any explicit narrative, the meaning comes from montage, and I did not care for that meaning.

Yes, there is confrontation, but there is also exploitation and exoticization. Unlike (from what I hear) Baraka, Samsara concerns itself mainly with humans. The near absence of white people, except for a few shots from…
Review by PTAbro ★★★★ 11

While just as visually and technically awe-inspiring as Baraka, Samsara feels much more anthropocentric, which diminishes that feeling of universality contained in its predecessor. Still, for someone who does not usually search out documentaries, Fricke's two masterworks, coupled with the recently watched Bestiaire (thanks for putting it on the radar, Marcissus), have got me craving more non-narrative and lyrical films. I'm looking at you, Qatsi trilogy.
Review by Adam Cook ★★★ 9

Ron Fricke’s first film in twenty years, Samsara, is another bold and dazzling explosion of images from around the world chronicling the progression of life and interconnectedness of the human race. Those familiar with Fricke’s stunning Baraka will know what to expect from his latest non-narrative globetrotting odyssey that took five years to make and explores human life on five continents.

Shot on 70mm film you’ll be hard pressed to find a more visually resplendent cinematic treat for the eyes. It is a constantly shifting kaleidoscope of unforgettable images that threaten to overwhelm the audience in their beauty. The colours are eye-poppingly vibrant, the textures tactile and it contains some truly breathtaking time lapse photography. As a work of visual…
Review by Tooley I Am King ★★★★½ 2

That fucked my shit up.

Seriously though, this is something else. Samsara is possibly the most visually stunning film I've ever seen. It explores all cultures around the world, the relationships we have with each other and the environment around us, and the pure insignificance one of us has when compared to the eternal circle of life itself.

Despite this description, the film isn't completely depressing. I felt as though I was going through some sort of cleanse while watching it. Samsara was able to expand my mind and tackle thought-provoking themes with relative grace and visual excellence. It really is quite the experience.

I'm not who I could suggest this to. Its abstract and completely visual storytelling will seem offputting for some, and it's occasionally overbearing social message may annoy others, but for me it was a perfect piece of entertainment. A truly beautiful film.
Review by TheCultureShocker ★★★★★

WINTER HIGH ART MARATHON #79

This and Baraka are two of the most mind blowingly transcendent film watching experiences I've ever had in my life. Let me just count them both as one entry on this list because we're running low on the way to 100.

To ANYONE who has any interest in film, watch these movies. Anybody that has an interest in how to create a really beautiful shot, watch these movies.

Hell, I'd recommend that everyone check these films out. Even if these don't seem like they'd be your thing, check out Samsara at the very least. Watch it in the highest possible quality picture and prepare to see something unlike anything you've ever seen.

Samsara and Baraka…

Recent reviews

Review by Postman

Didn’t finish it but boy was I gripped by this
Review by Boratfan6969

I was zooted out of my friggin gourd when I watched this movie.
Review by Jack Barron ★★★★

Almost as good as Coneheads
Review by Mary ★★½

Has anyone else ever seen those old Italian Mondo movies, where they just sort of assemble a bunch of interesting and/or shocking footage and someone narrates over it for an hour and half? Well, I feel like Samsara is the big-budget, more respectful version of that. This film looks beautiful, I can’t deny it, but it has about the same level of context and depth as some of those Mondo films. The juxtaposition of imagery is predictable, and there’s no real unifying message or idea throughout. Also, this feels (similar to Mondo) like something made by a Westerner that takes a very “exoticising” look at the rest of the world, and in that way it feels dated despite only being from 2011. The images here are lovely, but I can’t help but feel you’d get the same level of experience just flipping through a glossy photobook of world landscapes.
Review by Serena ★★★★★

If u look very closely in almost every single shot u can see my wig flying across the globe. Baraka slaps but this shit FUCKS! #TeamSamsara
Review by Benjamin Hare ★★½

Despite my initial inability to get through this film, I'm happy to have forced myself to finished it. To call this production a "movie" is only possible in the technical sense; it's a collage of filmed scenes linked by the emotional resonance of the viewer, and thus open to many interpretations. My own expectations caused a disconnect as I was waiting for a narrative structure of some kind, pulled out of the experience by all the questions about place and circumstance in each scene. By setting aside my own expectations and opening myself to the experience of experience itself, I was able to not only appreciate this film, but greatly enjoy the journey.

"Samsara" is a visual meditation, not a…
Review by 🎟Sarah D. ★★★★½

Just as beautiful and mesmerizing as Baraka.
I am just like this movie: absolutely speechless.
Review by Max Craig ★★★½ 2

Cultures! What a concept. Pretty!
Review by Torgo1000 ★★★★½

For a while this feels like the sort of thing you'd watch at the Smithsonian, a compilation of incredible nature and human landmark photography accompanied by dreamy, drone-y choral music (though lacking any narration). It's comprised of only the most impeccably shot images of earthly beauty and maybe it's all a tad bit musty for a film that isn't a museum exhibition.

But just as you're settling into its simple pleasures, it reveals itself to be a rather pointed project, not merely content to display the majesty of the natural world and human progress. This free-form observation of all of the different environments on earth spends quite a lot of time on poverty and structural ruin, forcing one to grapple…