MIFF NOTES: Manakamana (2013, Dirs. Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez)

The Manakamana temple in Nepal sits atop a mountain in the Gorkha district of Nepal. Until 1998 the only way to get there was a three hour hike up (and up, and up) through the picturesque countryside. Now there is a cable car. It takes 8 minutes.

Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez wanted to capture the experience. Their approach is simple. A static camera focused on each trip's passengers but framed to capture nature's grandeur just beyond the glass. Eight minutes of contemplation, sometimes in silence, sometimes with selfies, sometimes with icecreams.

Manakamana may not sound like the most inherently interesting film and it will test most (I counted at least 20 walkouts in our small screening) but for those willing to stick it out, there is a trove of observational treasure to plunder. Through their careful choice of pilgrims, Spray and Velez invite comparison of what makes us different and what makes us the same, how we move forward and how we look back.

All that and there's beautiful vistas to gawk at.

★★★☆

Trailer:

Disclaimer: Due to excessive work and excessive film going, MIFF posts are going to be pretty sketchy this year. I'll come back to some of the better ones and write them up proper-like if the mood takes.