Transformative practices of Western Sufis
Oleg Yarosh My individual research is associated with the CAS-E project Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices from a Global Perspective funded by the DFG. The research investigates spiritual practices within Western Sufi communities, focusing particularly on practitioners’ perspectives – both those of community leaders and ordinary members. It examines ‘traditional practices,’ understood as those embedded […]
Exploring knowledge as transformation of the self in Sufi circles
Lili Di Puppo During my July talk at CAS-E, I presented initial reflections on what I call “the vertical dimension of knowledge.” This perspective, which I developed together with my colleague Fabio Vicini in the introduction to our 2024 special section Muslim Ontologies: Divine Presence, Anthropology, and Transcendence (Vicini and Di Puppo 2024, HAU – […]
Sufism: The Heart of Islam
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA: Film title: Sufism: The Heart of Islam, Director: Robert Mull?an, Year Made: 1990, Country of production: United Kingdom, Language of film: English, Length of film: 90 minutes. GENRE: Documentary Film SYNOPSIS: The documentary Sufism: The Heart of Islam consists of three parts (Living Sufism, Eternal Life, Losing Self), guiding viewers through Sufi tradition […]
Bab’Aziz: The Prince that Contemplated his Soul
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA: Film title: Bab’Aziz: The Prince that Contemplated his Soul; Director: Nacer Khemir; Year made: 2005; Language of film: English, Persian, Hindi, Arabic, Turkish, Tunisian Arabic; Length of film: 1 hour and 38 minutes. GENRE: Film Drama SYNOPSIS: The film follows the journey of an old blind man (Bab’Aziz) and his curious young granddaughter […]
Ashiq: The Last Troubadour (in Chinese 阿希克：最后的游吟诗人, pinyin: Axike Zuihou de Youyin Shiren)
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA: Film title: Ashiq: The Last Troubadour (in Chinese 阿希克：最后的游吟诗人, pinyin: Axike Zuihou de Youyin Shiren), Director: Liu Xiangchen 刘湘晨; Year: 2010; Country of production: People’s Republic of China; Language: Uyghur with Simplified Chinese subtitles (8-minute trailer also available in English); Length: 128 minutes; Production: Institute of Socio-Cultural Anthropology, Xinjiang Normal University, Ürümchi GENRE: Ethnographic […]
The Secrets (Hebrew: HaSodot)
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA: Film Title: The Secrets (Hebrew: HaSodot) Director: Avi Nesher Year Made: 2007 Country of Production: Israel (co-production with France) Language(s) of Film: Hebrew (primary), also some French and English Length of Film: 127 minutes. GENRE: Feature drama SYNOPSIS: Noemi (Ania Bukstein), the intelligent and devout daughter of a prominent ultra-Orthodox rabbi, has recently […]
The Wicker Man
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA: Film title: The Wicker Man; Director: Robin Hardy; Year made: 1973; Country of production: Great Britain; Language of film: English; Length of film: 84 minutes (director’s cut: 99 minutes). GENRE: Feature film SYNOPSIS: Police Sergeant Howie from the West highlands police (Scotland) travels to a remote island, Summerisle, to investigate the disappearance of […]
Bridewealth for a Goddess
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA: Title: Bridewealth for A Goddess Director: Chris Owen Release Date: 2000 Country of Production: Papua New Guinea Language of Edition: English Duration: 72 minutes Copyright: Documentary Educational Resources. GENRE: Documentary SYNOPSIS: The film documents the last performance of the ritual for the fertility goddess Amb Kor, in the Western Highlands Province of Papua […]
Art of Silat
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA: Title: Art of Silat Director: DS Farrer Release Date: 2000 Country of Production: USA Language of Edition: English/Malay Duration: 47-mins Copyright: Creative Commons. https://bit.ly/3pkCwFO GENRE: Observational cinema SYNOPSIS: “Art of Silat” views Malay culture through art, dance, and martial arts in Singapore, Malaysia, and England. As outsiders travel to Malaysia to learn silat, […]
Stalker (Сталкер)
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA: Film title: Stalker (Russ. Сталкер). Director: Andrei Tarkovsky. Year of production: 1979; country of production: USSR; language: Russian; length: 162 minutes. GENRE: Feature drama SYNOPSIS: Stalker shows us an open-ended journey of faith, of despair, and of hope for the possibility of moral/spiritual growth. Three men evade armed guards to enter a dangerous […]
