Enlightenment
52 min. docudrama
Director-Aran Patinkin
Script-Galit Gilad
Sound-Shira Patinkin, Reut Patinkin
Lighting-Ronen Yzchaki, Roi Patinkin
Editing-Ayelet Chatuka
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Enlightenment – the unique spark that kindles human faith, perhaps the origin of life itself, symbolizes the endless human quest for clarity. How much of Enlightenment is real and how much is imaginary? Does it really matter? Is there any practical difference between reality and imagination? These penetrating questions and others are the inspiration and substance of the film “Enlightenment.”
“Enlightenment” tells the story of a young Israeli Lior Saar, who traveled to India, determined to find Enlightenment. We follow his tortuous path in search of meaning until he disappears into the mist of a mountain above Rishikash. The film is based on a true story, yet extends far beyond the personal experiences of one eager youngster.
During his journey, Lior writes long, perceptive and sensitive letters to his parents, his sister Ariela, and to his traveling comrades Omri and Gili. The letters not only comprise a travel diary but also a window to the innermost reflections of the writer and recipients alike, representing the very core of this docudrama. The sound track includes excerpts from Lior’s letters, read in V/O by Lior, his friends and relatives, as we view video scenes captured by Liors’s camera throughout his trek to India. The friends and family, the recipients of the letters, reflect on the letters, the trip to India and Lior’s disappearance from their own point of view.
