Sacred

2016, Thomas Lennon, USA, 86 min.

“A kaleidoscopic travelogue depicting demonstrations of faith worldwide.” —Andy Webster,The New York Times

Shot by more than forty filmmaking teams around the world, the film immerses the viewer in the daily use of faith and spiritual practice. At a time when religious hatreds dominate the world’s headlines, this film explores faith as primary human experience, and how people turn to ritual and prayer to navigate the milestones and crises of private life. The film’s director commissioned or sourced footage from top independent filmmakers from more than 25 countries—and a wide range of religious traditions—each team contributing a single scene. The film, sweeping in its global reach, yet intensely intimate, is a tour de force that unifies these scenes into a single work, told without narration, without experts and, for long stretches, without words at all.

Each of the six screenings will be followed by a conversation between the director Thomas Lennon and a religious leader. On 5/5 it is pastor Monsignor Jim Lisante.

Co-presented by Global Spiritual Life at NYU.

About the Speakers

Monsignor Lisante serves as pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes in Massapequa Park, NY. Previously he served as the Executive Director of the inspirational organization The Christophers and hosted their TV show Christopher Close-Up from 2001 to 2005. Monsignor Lisante has also hosted a special annual airing of the show Personally Speaking on NBC, and his “Personally Speaking” radio show currently airs nationally on The Catholic Channel on Sirius XM Radio. As a Fox News Channel contributor, he covered Pope Francis’ U.S. visit for the Fox News Channel as well as for Fox5/NY and ABC NY. He has authored four books.

Thomas Lennon‘s work in documentary film has earned him an Academy Award and three Academy nominations. He has also won two national Emmys, two duPont-Columbia and Peabody awards, and had two films premiere at Sundance.