DARSHAN

Genre: Documentary
Running Time: 93 minutes
Tag Line: Everyone Needs a Hug!
Language: English, French, Hindi
Subtitles: English

Throuout its history India has kept a profound sense of the sacred. Hindu tradition offers a privileged place to 'great souls' [Mahatma] to spiritual guides... As a travel diary deep inside the heart of India and Hinduism, Darshan focuses on one of the most important Mahatmas still alive - Amma. This woman has won a very important place in the Indian community. Her fight for peace against poverty and illieracy earned her the Gandhi King Prize in 2002 for peace and non violence (previously awarded to Kofi Annan and Nelson Mandela). For the first time, Amma agreed to open the doors of her own world to a froeign director. Jan Kounen had the opportunity to accompany her across India. Darshan invites the audience to discover and better understand what makes Indian spirituality so unique.

In 1979, Amma had a handful of followers and a temple in southern India that held 10 people. Today she is the heart of a massive charitable enterprise that builds houses for the homeless, feeds the hungry, runs hospitals and an orphanage and does constant good works throughout India. Amma imparts comfort, serenity and unconditional love via touch and has hugged more than 23 million people.