The Goose's Excuse

At a meeting of the ‘Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK’ on 13th October 2018, Michael James discusses the eleventh paragraph of நானார்? (Nāṉ Ār?), Who am I?:

At a meeting of the ‘Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK’ on 8th September 2018, Michael James discusses the tenth paragraph of நானார்? (Nāṉ Ār?), Who am I?:

A documentary that explores the life of one of the world's most populated cities from its streets. Shot in 2009-2012 (before and during the Egyptian revolution, and ending with the most recent presidential elections), the film explores the country's collective identity, inherent struggles, and the sentiments that lead through the historic changes taking place in Egypt today. For his third documentary, Egyptian/ American filmmaker Sherief Elkatsha rides through the congested streets alongside a diverse cast of characters-from taxi drivers to ambulances, from traffic cops to private citizens-capturing the unspoken codes of conduct, frustrations, humor, fatalism, and life-or-death decisions of driving in a city where the only rule is: there are no rules.

An investigation about human intervention in nature, from the subjective point of view of the camera, the environment and its transformation are observed.

Reader's Digest Invites you to journey back through 6,000 years and revisit some of the greatest cultures the world has ever known. Journey back to Athens, the world's first democracy, as Pericles helps usher it into a Golden Age of unparalleled achievement in philospohy, science and art. And, discover the very essence of what it meant to live as an ancient Roman, part of a military colossus that, even to the present day, is regarded as "The Ultimate Empire." Celebrate the gods at the Colosseum... spy on a Roman emperor's wife... dance with the cult of Dionysus... mingle with gladiators preparing for battle... join Socrates at the Symposium... see why Caesar was assassinated... and much more!

Documentary with fragments and records about the boundaries between art and counterculture, based on a debate held at the Museum of Modern Art, Rio de Janeiro, in October 1968.

MAXIMÓN - Devil or Saint (66min.) is a documentary about the controversial Maya deity, also known as San Simon or the drinking and smoking saint of Guatemala. He is a mixture of ancient Maya beliefs and Christianity. The movie concentrates on the people who surround Maximón with their strong personalities, opinions and faith. The documentary gives us a rare view into the rituals and fiestas honoring Maximón. The cult of Maximón is flourishing because he performs miracles. He is also feared and despised because he is used to cast curses that can result in death. Ultimately, Maximón transcends the duality of good and evil, reflecting the Maya cosmovision in which everything in the universe co-exists.

The story of Muhammad Iqbal, a turn of the century poet/philosopher from South Asia. Through Iqbal's work we open a dialog between the East and West, refute the notion of a class of civilizations and discover our shared humanity.

Filmed at Masonboro Island, an undeveloped barrier island in southeastern North Carolina, “Tides” contemplates the liminal space between the modern technological world and that more ecological dimension we label as “nature” or “the environment.”

This James A. FitzPatrick's People on Parade series short takes the viewer to Alexandria, Egypt, with emphasis on the modern nature of the city.

At a meeting of the ‘Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK’ on 14th July 2018, Michael James discusses the eighth paragraph of நானார்? (Nāṉ Ār?), Who am I?:

In 1952 a young Egyptian colonel named Gamal Abdel Nasser led a coup that became a revolution, winning the support of millions of his countrymen. Over the next 18 years he challenged Western hegemony abroad, confronted Islamism at home, established the region’s first military authoritarian regime, and faced deep divisions among the Arabs.

Documentary filmed on the occasion of the “2003, Odyssey in Space Zero” operation inside the Spazio Zero Theater in Rome. The document, filmed between 21 October and 30 November 2003, recounts the representation of Fotofinish not as a single and continuous work, but as the evolution over time of the moods and movements of the actors who, replica after replica, have developed an awareness of the space and arrived at the joy of staging.

A funeral car cruises the streets of Medellín, while a young director tells the story of his past in this violent and conservative city. He remembers the pre-production of his first film, a Class-B movie with ghosts. The young queer scene of Medellín is casted for the film, but the main protagonist dies of a heroin overdose at the age of 21, just like many friends of the director. Anhell69 explores the dreams, doubts and fears of an annihilated generation, and the struggle to carry on making cinema.

At a meeting of the ‘Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK’ on 10th February 2018, Michael James discusses the third paragraph of நானார்? (Nāṉ Ār?), Who am I?:

Experimental video art compiled from video taken on an LG Env3 flip phone circa 2009-2010

Experimental self portrait

Experimental video art shot in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle

At the dawn of history, the ancient Egyptians showed the world how to build the impossible... In an age before machines, when copper was the strongest metal yet discovered, great pharaohs like Khufu and Ramses II demonstrated how boundless ambition and vast quantities of human labour could transform rock and stone into some of the most incredible monuments ever created from carving out spectacular tombs in the Valley Of The Kings to the building of the iconic Great Pyramid. In this fascinating documentary special we uncover the secrets of Ancient Egypt Pharaoh, engineers and architects and bring to life great buildings and the ancient Egyptians saw them - towering over their great civilisation in the history of Africa, and perhaps the World....

In the slums of Cairo, youth dancing to electro chaabi, new music that blends folk song, electro beats and freestyles chanted in the style of rap. The idea is to merge the sounds and styles so chaotic. One slogan mangling! Victim of corruption and social segregation, youth in neighborhoods exorcise partying. Release of body and a speech repressed transgression religious taboos: more than just a musical phenomenon, Electro Chaabi is a healthy outlet for youth oppressed by the prohibitions imposed.