Baraka (1992)
Magidson Films

Description

A visually stunning film shot over 13 months, in 24 countries; Baraka is an overwhelming experience that spans the geographical, cultural and social diversity of our changing planet. Set to an atmospheric sountrack inspired by various rituals and nature itself, the film captures the very essence of man's relationship with the earth, both harmonious and catastrophic. Baraka is a journey of rediscovery. It is the power, the beauty and the rage of life itself. It is the world we live in.

Tags

Environment, Photography

Collected reviews and ratings

10 Variety | Susan Ayscough

Words can't do justice to the visual masterpiece "Baraka," a smashingly edited, superbly scored, wild world tour that speaks volumes about the planet without uttering a word.
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10 DVD Times | Noel Megahey

If you’re looking for a demo disc for your new HD set-up that will show the capabilities of the format in the best possible light, this is the disc you are looking for, but Baraka is so much more than that. It’s also a film that shows the world that we are all a part of in an entirely new light, showing its wonder, its diversity and its misery as well as attempting to touch on its spiritual dimension.
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10 Eye For Film | Scott Macdonald

This is an amazing motion picture filled with astonishing and beautiful sights; there is no frame of it that does not thrum with the pulse of life and vigour of this planet's existence.
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9.0 Amazon user reviews

The word Baraka means "blessing" in several languages; watching this film, the viewer is blessed with a dazzling barrage of images that transcend language. Filmed in 24 countries and set to an ever-changing global soundtrack, the movie draws some surprising connections between various peoples and the spaces they inhabit, whether that space is a lonely mountaintop or a crowded cigarette factory.
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8.8 DVD Verdict | Joel Pearce

Baraka is a truly unique film experience. A documentary, film essay, and art film in one, it transcends all of those genres to offer the most coherent, fascinating, and challenging view of humanity and nature that I have ever seen on film.
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8.3 Old School Reviews | John Nesbit

Succeeding at communicating this basic spiritual message, Baraka is a film that will appeal greatly to any children of the sixties (and like-minded souls) who believe in the common unity of mankind and how we all seek the same universal source.
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8.0 highdefdigest.com | Joshua Zyber

'Baraka' has moments of extraordinary emotional power, such as a stream of images about poverty played to "The Host of Seraphim" by Dead Can Dance, the amazing time-lapse montages of urban movement, and the celestial fireworks at the end. This is truly an exceptional work of filmmaking.
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8.0 DVD Talk | Aaron Beierle

a gorgeous and visually stunning film which will hopefully enjoy a re-release in large-format theaters sometime soon.
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8.0 filmcritic.com | Kevin Smokler

This incredible journey, around the world only to arrive at what makes us fundamentally human is the gift of Baraka. It’s also, as this brilliant jewel of a film reminds, us, the enduring reward of the movies.
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7.5 Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

It is claimed that the great age of travel is dead - that there are no longer amazing, exotic, beautiful and fearsome places for the traveler to discover. A movie like "Baraka" gives hope.
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7.5 Combustible Celluloid | Jeffrey M. Anderson

...as a true non-narrative film, the ideas come and go and change like the time of day or like the weather. The scenes do not seem to be in any particular order; they don't build a story. Rather, they allow the viewer to simply relax and meditate, or retreat into the subconscious and ponder.
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