★Mela Foundation
Kings with Straw Mats
A pilgrimage into the heart of India's greatest sacred celebration, the Kumbh Mela which takes place every 12 years. Filmmaker and poet Ira Cohen brings us face to face with an unforgettable gathering of holy men and into the heart of a visionary experience by rendering it as it really is: a circus of high madness, true devotion and showbiz savvy. The Kumbh Mela takes its name from the Hindu legend which tells how four drops of the gods holy elixir fell to the earth from a "kumbh" or…
The Invasion of Thunderbolt Pagoda
Re-release of Ira Cohen's legendary 1968 film, The Invasion of Thunderbolt Pagoda. Celebrated internationally for more than 30 years, and recently screened as part of the 'Day for Night' program at the 2006 Whitney Biennial."I must say this is the most chemically abused piece of cinema I’ve ever seen – I actually feel under the influence now, I don’t know if I’m safe to walk home. It’s so narcotic that I’m surprised it’s legal to buy over the counter… all this and it was made in 1968 – one ye…