User Reviews

Greetings again from the darkness. My knowledge of the Kumbh Mela was limited to only what I had seen on CNN. Co-filmmakers Maurizio Benazzo and Nick Day offer a documentary that gives us more than an insider's view. We often feel as if we are trespassing, or at a minimum, actually in attendance. This Hindu spiritual festival is held every 12 years and climaxes in a Holy river bathing routine as the planets align. Estimates of attendance reach as high as 70 million people. The organization and structure of the event is fascinating as numerous "camps" are built, each around their particular guru. Many of these appear to be circus sideshows, while others are more serious spiritual leaders.

Nick Day held a brief Q&A after our screening and I was very interested to find out that they stumbled upon the charismatic Swami who guides us through this maze of worshipers, gurus and onlookers. This Swami is the driving force of the film and prevents any semblance of routine documentary blandness from reaching the viewer. Although lacking in true spiritual enlightenment, the film provides a unique, front row seat to this extremely interesting event. The influence of the western world to this traditional event is beyond question, but much of the old world religion survives and even thrives. See this one for the glimpse inside a world we rarely get the opportunity to see.

It speaks volumes that millions of people can gather to celebrate this festival that takes place every twelve years without any problems, or casualty. That the Mela takes place in India, a poor country in comparison to the West, is a tribute to how the people there have achieved a state of nirvana. In general, all the different gurus, swamis, and different religious people seem to be honestly involved in the well being of their souls and passing this set of rules of conduct for anyone who wants to become spiritual and leave all the material trappings aside.

Director Maurizio Benazzo, and his collaborator, Nick Day, present us images that are exotic and in sharp contrast with what religion is seen and practiced in this country and others. We are taken to different people who speak directly into the camera and tell us their view about spirituality and how they have arrived at that plateau.

There are many interesting side trips to visit with the Dalai Lama, who made an appearance at the festival. His message is how Buddism can coexist with all religions based on mutual respect for other forms of religion. The documentary makes a point in how Hinduism is an ancient religion practiced since much before Christianity.

The directors make a point to watch through the camera lens but never make any statements or be judgmental about any aspect of the way the people that are attracted to do the pilgrimage worship.

The film was itself a great reflection of what pilgrimages are composed of to those fellow worshippers. The filmmakers did a good job at capturing the scenes of India however I feel that they could've done a better job at actually getting in depth of specific activities that people participate in and how by doing so was a means of reaching their goal of spirituality. It captures the overall significance of Kumbh Mela and explains the traditional reasons as to why this scared place is flooded with tens of millions of people at a specific time and place nearly every decade.

Organizational religion is the typical standard at least from a western viewpoint but the fact that pilgrimages offers an opportunity to find religious purpose yourself is a whole entirely different experience in itself and which is why it makes this documentary especially profound.

"Kumbh Mela: Short Cut to Nirvana" is a beautifully crafted documentary that details the organized chaos and curious piety surrounding the Kumbh Mela, an Indian religious festival held on 12-year intervals for the past two millennia. The most recent festival attracted an estimated 70 million people.

The documentary is handsomely photographed, beautifully edited, and constantly absorbing glimpse into a unique corner of the human experience. Western audiences may not understand everything they see in this film, but the film nonetheless makes for absorbing viewing and is highly recommended for anyone in search of a different answer to universal questions of faith and hope

This documentary takes you into the heart of the Kumbh Mela--a strangely beautiful festival in India. It's the next best thing to being there yourself.

The filmmakers do a good job of showing all aspects of the event (the good, the bad, and the ugly), without judging. They act only as observers and leave the viewer to draw their own conclusions.

Still, one can't help but come away with a feeling of hope for humanity. Some of the subjects appear to be "religious phonies", while others dispense sage words about life. But it's clear overall that most everyone there has a real desire for worldwide peace and unity--something that is sadly scarce in the modern world.

Highly recommended!

I heard that the filmmakers asked the gurus to bless the audiences after every interview... It definitely feels like you get a blessing by watching this amazing film... Some of the babas and the Gurus were looking directly into camera and it gave me shivers... Cinematography is excellent and the movie carries you in an amazing place I would have never imagined existed... 70million people got together for this Festival and no information was given by our media... It makes you wonder why... :-) Another great film after What the bleep on the road to spiritual and enlightening films. Thank you!!! It's a movie i'll recommend to all... E

"Short Cut to Nirvana", the movie, is extremely informative yet with good sense of humor.

I felt touched and inspired by its magnitude and simplicity.

It shows 70 million people united for the sake of goodness, for peace and universal love.

The H. H. Dalai Lama appearance, his charisma, and his message of tolerance are deep and relevant.

It made me want to go to the next Kumbh Mela and experience more of it!

Thank Maurizio and Nick for this remarkable experience!

The message stays with you!

Peace for all!

This was like someone's home movie of a trip to the Mela: what a group of Americans - open-minded but, a BA in religious studies from UCSB notwithstanding, uninformed - made of their trip to the Mela in exotic, spiritual India. Sure, the viewer meets some interesting people along the way, but no effort was made to explain the significance of the "sangam" (where three, not just two, rivers meet), what it means to the millions of pilgrims who go, what its many-thousand-year history was really like, etc. Other things are irritating, too, like a soundtrack only tangentially connected to what's going on, and various low-tech tricks designed to make the overwhelming effect of the mela more palpable which really only have the opposite effect. I'm not sure how one can capture the joy, chaos and sensory overload of an Indian festival (not to mention this mother of all festivals), but these effects are not the way. Oh, and the suggestion that our garrulous guide has taken a shine to the sweet bleach-blond American nurse (introduced by Real World-like interviews) is a distraction at best: go to the biggest religious festival in history and a sadhu will fall in love with YOU?

This is a must see film for those who are curious about how other people on this planet live and celebrate.

A spectacular assault on the mind, eyes and ears. Nick Day and Maurizio Benazzo take us on a personal journey where we meet yogis, gurus, charlatans and the millions who come out to celebrate a pilgrimage that takes place only once every seven years. Day and Benazzo bring us to the hearts and minds of this curious celebration and we are left both stunned, overwhelmed, and wanting more. I found the film profoundly moving in that it showed the daily ups and downs of people who we didn't dream existed, and I was able to connect to their stories in a most basic sense of terms.

Go see this film when it opens in a theater near you.

I am convinced that the Kumbh Mela is a significant human event. It is clear that it made a strong impression on the filmmakers.

However, this documentary is exactly like watching someone else's vacation movies without the unifying thread they have. Or at least some narration. The film lacks organization and editing. As a result it is boring and dull. The most interesting piece is a short section showing H.H. Dalai Lama giving a press conference. Otherwise we are shown people without any background to understand why they are of interest, or random shots of crowds.

If they had selected several people to follow or shown the cycle of the festival or just something to make this less random it would have improved the film and our understanding greatly. Not even an explanation of why it is so important for people to go.

Before their next effort, I suggest the filmmakers study other documentaries or literary journalism.

i didn't know what to expect from this movie, but it blew my socks off!

they take you on a personal tour of this incredible spiritual festival in India...

there are all kinds of spiritual practices you wouldn't believe. some of them are a bit like a circus, actually.

it was also interesting to see the dalai lama and where he fits into all that. he's got an amazing presence.

its fun and entertaining, but most important for me it was really inspiring. it really opened my eyes.

highly recommended!!

I noticed that throughout the movie I thought "how could 70 million people gather and not be unhappy with the dirt, crowds, and noise?" But to the contrary, there was a lot of fun being had. My favorite were the Gurus who expounded on Love, and had the penetrating intelligence to not sound spaced out or whimsical, as we like to dismiss "gurus" these days. I highly recommend this movie as it contains relevant information about the survival of the human race.

During some parts, I felt as if I were in an altered state of consciousness, under the spell of peace and love being radiated by the people and the Kumbh Mela itself. There were humorous aspects, notably the incredible diversity of the Gurus India has to offer.

A glimpse into the biggest spiritual gathering on Earth in terms of numbers of participants. I came to the film as an eggheady Christian looking for common ground with other spiritual corners of the globe. Shortcut to Nirvana is a superb vehicle for such connection. As others have stated, Kumbh Mela is too vast a festival to be crammed into a nutshell, and the filmmakers have not tried to do so. What they give us is a warm, enthusiastic overview of a event that moves a wide variety of people to community and vitality in their quest for godly energy. This westerner felt moved and encouraged to see Hindus of widely differing practices, as well as the Dalai Lama, and all seekers who attended, peacefully embracing each other's humanity and expressing their faith or searching for understanding. Shortcut to Nirvana will not tell you all you never knew about the Hindu world, nor the other worlds it touches. It may well inspire you to seek more understanding about those realms.

I reviewed this on Amazon, but couldn't resist a mention on here too, as I thought this was a truly outstanding movie. Sensitive, intelligent and informative, it gently leads the viewer on a delightful journey through the biggest religious festival in the world. Shot by westerners, (Maurizio Benazzo and Nick Day), it accepts warmly, and never pokes fun at, the extreme weirdness of many of the fascinating characters we meet, (saddhus, gurus etc), and shows us a beautifully shot glimpse of this festival and the atmosphere that surrounds it.

If you get the chance, do please take the time to see it. You'll learn something, I guarantee it.

Beautifully done, the sights and photography were amazing, and the documentary constantly evolved. There was such a beauty I the traditions that were shown in the Film. It was awkward in a sense in many portions of the film we attempt to see these cultural experiences but through the eyes of the new coming and newly interested Caucasian people. If we are to really absorb the holiness of an experience to be so connected to certain areas of religion, there needs to be a larger portion on the Native people of that Religion in the area of this holy land where the holy experience will occur. There are many positives as the people coming to these foreign lands are attempting to absorb and understand these cultures, gain a closeness to god, and accept different perspectives.

"Shortcut to Nirvana: Kumbh Mela" is incredibly enlightening and easy to understand for those who would like to learn more of Indian culture and religion. One of the most substantial take aways from this film was the clear consensus that all people, despite race, gender, sexuality, or faith are welcomed into the vast faith of hinduism and bond together in peace at the Kumbh Mela festival, taking place every 12 years in India. Wether the viewer understands what is going on in this film or not, it is very clear that the Kumbh Mela festival is one of the most positive journey's of the human experience. The documentary was directed fantastically to capture every bit of beauty the festival has to offer.