Manakamana

Director Pacho Velez in person Sunday, November 19

Dir. Stephanie Spray & Pacho Velez. 2013, 118 mins. DCP. Composed of eleven long hypnotic shots, this transfixing ethnographic documentary follows various pilgrims and tourists as they travel to and from a Nepalese temple via a cable car suspended high over a mountain jungle. In focusing rigorously on the faces and interactions of the passengers—sometimes serious, sometimes humorous—Manakamana invites viewers to wonder about who these people are and what brought them here. The effect is revelatory, as the rhythms of the cable car’s journey, panoramic views of the verdant landscape, and voyeuristic pleasures of simply observing others combine to produce a riveting, meditative effect. “Spray and Velez’s film calls attention to attention, the ways our thoughts and perceptions slowly drift and return during long durations spent looking at certain subjects or familiar scenarios.” —Leo Goldsmith, Reverse Shot 

Preceded by Reverse Shot Talkie: Stephanie Spray & Pacho Velez 

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11). Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.