About Samsara

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.

DIRECTED BY

Ron Fricke

PRODUCED BY

Mark Magidson

EDITED BY

Ron Fricke
Mark Magidson

ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSED BY

Michael Stearns
Lisa Gerrard
Marcello De Francisci

CONCEPT AND TREATMENT WRITTEN BY

Ron Fricke
Mark Magidson

MUSICAL DIRECTION BY

Michael Stearns
Mark Magidson

LINE PRODUCER

Myles Connolly

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER AND ADDITIONAL EDITING

John Chandler Earle

IMAGING PRODUCER

Christopher Reyna

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Michelle Peele

FILMED IN PANAVISION SUPER 70

View Bios & Full Credits

Making Of

Samsara was filmed in 25 countries and produced over the course of almost 5 years. The small crew, comprised of Mark Magidson (producer), Ron Fricke (director), JC Earle (associate producer), and Myles Connolly (line producer) traveled together over the course of filming.

The crew traveled relatively light - to each location they brought a Panavision 70mm camera, the custom built motion controlled time-lapse camera, a small jib arm, 30 feet of dolly track split into 5 foot sections to meet airline regulations, along with a carefully designed support package of essential equipment. Everything else was provided by local fixers, who helped with transportation, permits, regional knowledge, and occasionally additional gear.

The editing process took about one year, during which there were several pick up shoots to fill in needed material. Ron and Mark edited the film, with JC Earle as an assistant editor.

For more detail about Samsara locations, visit the locations page.

Technical Details

Samsara is one of only a handful of feature films, including its predecessor Baraka, to be shot in the 70mm format in the last forty years. Through a painstaking conversion process, which involved scanning each frame of the film in 8k resolution, a massive data file (in excess of 20 terabytes!) was created, which was later reduced to its final output format. The process, extensively tested to confirm the benefits of oversampling in the scanning of film to digital, delivers an unparalleled viewing experience with extraordinary levels of detail, clarity, and vibrance.

This method was originally pioneered in the creation of Baraka's acclaimed Blu-ray DVD, and has since become a widely adopted industry practice. The achievement of the Baraka Blu-ray marked the first time 70mm analog quality was successfully introduced into a digital format.

Samsara will be brought to audiences in stunning 4K digital projection.

The Music of Samsara

Samsara’s 95 minutes of nonverbal film is carried by original music composed by Michael Stearns, Lisa Gerrard, and Marcello De Francisci, in addition to several other contributed compositions. The soundtrack weaves together a layered sonic landscape as richly diverse as the visual experience. Mark, Ron, and Michael, who is renowned for his groundbreaking score for Baraka, reunited again with with well loved musician, singer, and composer Lisa Gerrard, who previously contributed the track Host of Seraphim to Baraka, and worked with Mark on the Dead Can Dance tour film Toward the Within.

One of the main creative challenges for the composers was determining when to include sound effects in the ‘here and now’ and when to take pause from moments of intensity to allow for spacious reflection. Every bar of music was meticulously pored over, with a view toward the group vision of making Samsara a guided meditation that carries the viewer along both visually and aurally.

At screenings, music will be ideally presented in Dolby 7.1 Surround.