Film Analysis Of Baraka

Baraka is a non-linear environmental documentary released in 1992 and directed by Ron Fricke. The film is full of sweeping shots of breathtaking landscapes, intimate scenes of individuals in their environment, and time-lapse sequences of both natural and man-made structures. Without dialogue or a linear structure, the film successfully uses visual context to tell several stories that weave into the film’s overarching theme. First, Baraka tells the story of the importance of ritual and religion in the human experience, with a focus on indigenous cultures. Then, the narrative shifts focus and Baraka tells a new story, one about human modernization and the consequences of modern society. Finally, the film makes apparent its overarching theme:

With one of the most memorable transitions in the film (the Silent Scream performed by a Japanese Butoh dancer), Baraka makes clear the consequences of modern human life. When increasing production and profit takes priority over valuing human life, civilization eventually destroys itself; the film walks us through scenes of systemic poverty, exploitation, war, and genocide to illustrate this point. Paired with stirring, ominous music, this sequence is the most effective sequence of the film and can stand alone as an indictment of modern civilization. Finally, the story of modern civilization ends with images of the ruins of great ancient civilizations. The takeaway message is clear: just as those civilizations rose and fell, so too will the great civilizations of

Humanity is a part of nature (not apart from it) and everything returns to the earth in the end. In what is my favorite sequence of the film, Baraka takes us to the Ganges River in India. We see the masses gathered at the river bank engaged in various rituals; some bathe, others worship. The Ganges is sacred in Hinduism, a religion centered on the idea of birth and rebirth. A bath in the river is spiritually cleansing, and can even help you escape the endless cycle of birth and rebirth. It is here, in the Ganges, that the story comes full circle. There is life in the river (bathers, worshippers), and there is death (cremations, funeral rituals). Tellingly, Baraka revisits the scenes of religion from the beginning of the film at this point. We see scenes of followers of Abrahamic religions gathered in worship, followed by images of empty temples and mausoleums, and concluded with an image of a single floating candle on the Ganges (a funeral ritual). Religion is not exempt from the cycle of life and death. Of course, death is not the end. There is always rebirth, and the film ends with time-lapsed shots of structures and landscapes imbued with a sense of awe, concluding with an image of the starry night