Arrow Films and Spirit Entertainment have revealed that they are planning to release a Double Play edition of Ron Fricke's Samsara (2011). Samsara is one of only a handful of feature films, including its predecessor Baraka, to be shot in the 70mm format in the last forty years. The preliminary release date set by the distributors is December 26th.
According to the film's official site, "the 70mm to digital conversion process required that each frame be scanned at 8k resolution, creating a massive data file (in excess of 20 terabytes!) which was then reduced in size to create the final film. The filmmakers extensively tested this method to confirm the benefits of oversampling in the scanning of film to digital. The result is an unparalleled viewing experience with extraordinary levels of detail, clarity, and vibrance. This method was originally pioneered in the creation of Baraka's acclaimed Blu-ray, and has since become a widely adopted industry practice. The achievement of the Baraka Blu-ray marked the first time 70mm analog quality was successfully introduced into a digital format."
Shot over five years and five continents, the film takes in sweeping landscapes, natural wonders, sacred places and disaster zones, as well as time-lapse sequences of nature and the night sky, footage of the mass production of food and vast landfill sites. The juxtaposition of images drawn from ancient religion, modern technology and the natural world serves to create an epic and cyclical wordless commentary on human experience that reflects the film's title, a Sanskrit word describing the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth. Samsara features original music from ex-Dead Can Dance vocalist Lisa Gerrard (Gladiator, Heat), Michael Stearns, (TV's The Mystery of Chaco Canyon), and Marcello De Francisci (Balibo).
Note: In the United States, Samsara is distributed by Oscilloscope Laboratories. The film is currently screened in theaters around the country. (Please check local listings for availability).