From Nepal to Kenya, from Australia to Brazil, people try to cope with the changes that have altered their landscape, crowding them together and speeding up daily life. The film shows us these alienated people, but also images of traditions--whirling dervishes and Tibetan monks--that offer different, peaceful ways of existence. Shot in 70mm in 24 countries, this awesome musical and visual montage in the tradition of KOYAANISQATSI expresses the global existence of nature and man in the broadest sensory terms.

Ron Fricke, who shot, edited and developed the conception of the film, formerly worked as a cameraman for Geoffrey Reggio, whose films "Koyaanisqatsi" and "Powaqqatsi" similarly set images to music to examine contemporary life.

The film was shot with specially developed 70mm cameras.

Filmed in Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hawaii, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Nepal, New York, Poland, Thailand, and Turkey.

Music extracts:
"Sanya" and Honshirabe" performed by Kohachiro Miyata.
"Mantra" from "Mantra/Stbat Mixer" by Somei Satoh.
"African Journey" from "Exotic Dance" performed and written by Anugama and Sebastiano.
"Rainbow Voice" from "On Hearing Solar Winds" by the Harmonic Choir/David Hykes
"Wandering Saint" from "Expressions of Impressions" written and performed by L. Subramaniam
"Host of Serafim" written and performed by Dead Can Dance.
"Drovela"/"Wipala" from "Land of Incas" by Gonzalo Vargas.
"Triste" by Ciro Hurtado, performed by Ciro Hurtado, Julio Ledezma, Cindy Harding and Libby Harding.
"An Daorach Sheag" performed by Brother, Hamish Richardson, Angus Richardon, and Fergus Richardson.
"The Offerings for General Protectors," "A Prayer of Kala Rupa," "A Traditional Comosition for Gya Ling, Dung Chen" from "Sacred Ceremonies" performed by the Monks of the Dip Tse Ling Monastery.

Film score by Michael Stearns. Music research by Grant Wakefield.

Rated BBFC PG by the British Board of Film Classification.

DVD Features:

Keep Case
Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1
DTS Digital Surround 5.1

Ron Fricke: Editor/Director

Philip Glass: American Composer

"...An awesome cinematic world tour....BARAKA makes dazzling use of time-lapse photography..."
"...It is a meditation on the planet....The movie has the power of a dream, from which we awaken, instead of a warning, to which we respond..."
5 stars out of 5 -- "[A] masterpiece. Dialogue free, it's brilliant in its simplicity; a series of slow-moving shots mesmerise the audience into a meditation on life on Earth."