Manakamana

In the foothills of the Nepalese Himalayas is a temple dedicated to Manakamana, the Hindu goddess of good fortune. To get there pilgrims travel via cable car above a lushly forested landscape. In this absorbing documentary, a fixed 16mm camera placed inside the car records various groups going to and from the temple: first a trio of elderly women, now a pair of young American tourists, now a small herd of goats. The cumulative effect is near transcendental, creating a unique (and uniquely cinematic) experience.