Darshan: The Embrace

Name: Darshan: The Embrace
Genre: Documentary
Released: July 26, 2006
Duration: 92 min
Rating: 55

2006

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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Darshan The Embrace

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Movie Details & Credits

IFC First Take | Release Date: July 26, 2006

Summary: Amma, one of India's most famous "Mahatmas" or spiritual guides, is known internationally for her charitable donations, fight for peace, and work with illiteracy. In 2002, she won the Gandhi King Prize for her work, joining a prestigious group of winners that include, Nelson Mandela and Khofi Annan. This film is a chronicle of her journeyAmma, one of India's most famous "Mahatmas" or spiritual guides, is known internationally for her charitable donations, fight for peace, and work with illiteracy. In 2002, she won the Gandhi King Prize for her work, joining a prestigious group of winners that include, Nelson Mandela and Khofi Annan. This film is a chronicle of her journey throughout India, traveling with her inner circle to visit with her disciples. (IFC Films)… Expand

Director: Jan Kounen

Genre(s): Documentary

Runtime: 92 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox

Sebastien Pentecouteau's startlingly beautiful cinematography lends the film a dreamlike quality and perfectly suits Kounen's mystical subject matter. Read full review

Michael Wilmington

Jan Kounen, the maker of Darshan, is a French director with flashy credentials, including music videos, commercials, horror shorts, violent gangster movies ("Dobermann") and offbeat westerns ("Blueberry"). Read full review

Bill White

Movies about gurus generally fail to capture the charisma of their subjects. French director Jan Kounen's documentary on Amma, India's hugging saint, who allegedly has given restorative embraces to more than 45 million supplicants, is no exception. Read full review

Tim Grierson

Unless you're already a true believer, Amma comes across in Darshan as a perfect angel, a frustrating enigma and a rather dull cinematic subject. Read full review

John McMurtrie

A loving if fawning documentary. Read full review

Wesley Morris

According to several sojourners who speak in the film, Amma is the embodiment of love. And according to her website, it's her religion, too. Read full review

Ben Kenigsberg

Werner Herzog's "Wheel of Time" was, in a sense, the Buddhist equivalent of this film, as well as a more illuminating look at the power and transience of ritual. Read full review

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User Reviews

VictorM.

Aug 2, 2006

An unsual, but very important film about one of the greatest workers for peace of our time.