Japan / United States 2022, 97 min, English and Japanese, Hebrew & English subtitles
Where can a young Saudi man who grew up in Ireland and lives in Los Angeles find answers to the questions that trouble him? Why, Japan, of course. More specifically, a Buddhist monastery where monks undergo extreme, life-threatening tests of physical endurance in their pursuit of enlightenment. The filmmaker, Ahsen Nadeem, is himself on a quest for a kind of enlightenment, or at least a way to stop leading a double life. His devout parents wish he would find a nice Muslim girl, and know nothing about his White American girlfriend. The secretive monastic sect is not welcoming, but Nadeem insists. On his journey, he becomes friends with an unorthodox monk who loves heavy metal, desserts, and gadgets, and the two help each other find a path that reconciles faith, family duties, and love.
Previous Festivals: SXSW Film Festival
Across the Universe Faith, Tradition and Heritage Family Matters Immigration International Films Panorama Official Website
Production: Riel Roch Decter, Sebastian Pardo, Jill Ahrens, Ryan Ahrens, Ben Renzo
Script: Ahsen Nadeem, Matt H. Mayes, Dawn Light Blackman
Editing: Kimberley Hassett, Matt H. Mayes
Cinematography: Matthew Nauser
Sound Design: Nathan Ruyle
Music: Logan Nelson
Source:
MEMORY