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Baraka (film)

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Baraka
File:Baraka (Film).jpg
Baraka cover
Directed byRon Fricke
Written byConstantine Nicholas
Genevieve Nicholas
Produced byMark Magidson
Music byMichael Stearns, Dead Can Dance
Release date
1992
Running time
96 min
LanguageNone

Baraka (1992) is an experimental documentary film directed by Ron Fricke, cinematographer for Koyaanisqatsi, the first of the Qatsi films by Godfrey Reggio. Often compared to Koyaanisqatsi, Baraka's subject matter is in fact similar—including footage of various landscapes, churches, ruins, religious ceremonies, and cities thrumming with life, filmed using time-lapse photography in order to capture the great pulse of humanity as it flocks and swarms in daily activity. The film also features a number of long tracking shots through various settings, including ones through former concentration camps at Auschwitz (in Nazi occupied Poland) and Tuol Sleng (in Cambodia) turned into museums honoring their victims: over photos of the people involved, past skulls stacked in a room, to a spread of bones. In addition to making comparisons between natural and technological phenomena, such as in Koyaanisqatsi, Baraka searches for a universal cultural perspective: for instance, following a shot of an elaborate tattoo on a Japanese bather with one of Native Australian tribal paint.

The movie was filmed in 70 mm Todd-AO in 24 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Nepal, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, and the United States. It contains no dialogue. Instead of a linear plot, the film uses themes to present new perspectives and evoke emotion.

The title Baraka is a word that means blessing in many different languages. The score provided by Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard (from Dead Can Dance) and Michael Stearns is noticeably different from the minimalist one provided by Philip Glass for Koyaanisqatsi. Notable music was also contributed by the band Brother. The film was produced by Mark Magidson, who also produced and directed the film Toward the Within, a live concert performance by Dead Can Dance. A sequel to Baraka, Samsara, is currently in production and expected to be released in 2007.

Locations filmed

Africa

America

Asia

Australia

Europe

Trivia

  • British indie rock band British Sea Power created their own soundtrack to Baraka, which included (mainly instrumental) versions of their songs and a few specially composed songs. The band performed the soundtrack (in front of a video screen showing the film) at the London ICA in June 2002 and Leeds Festival in August 2003.
  • Was the first film in over twenty years to be photographed in the 65mm Todd-AO format.
  • Some of the footage from the film was used in the 2003 film Matrix Reloaded, when Neo meets the Architect you can clearly see shots from the film on the monitors in the background.
  • Spirit of Baraka. A reference site for films such as Baraka, Koyaanisqatsi and the people who made them.
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