The Ritual

Poet Yusuf learns of his mother’s death and returns to his hometown after many years. In his mother's house his young cousin Ayla awaits him and informs him about his mother’s dying wish to perform a ritual sheep sacrifice. The pair set out on a journey to the tomb of a saint to perform the ritual. Arriving late in the evening, the they are forced to wait until dawn to complete their task. Checking into a labyrinthine hotel, the pair find themselves in the middle of a wedding feast and are drawn closer to one another through their parallel discomfort and alienation as the festivities carry on around them. A film about confronting the ghosts of the past, the guilt of the present and the challenge of a new relationship.

After incurring debts from his failed business venture in China, Zong Hua returns to Malaysia after a decade hiatus. The demoralized Zong Hua faces problem finding a job and tries hard to get use to things at home, including his estranged relationship with his step-father, Xiaotian, who runs a Cantonese opera troupe and half-sister, Jing Jing. Jing Jing is hostile towards Zong Hua as she always has this impression that the death of their mother is caused by the excessive fights between Zong Hua and his step-father.

Andre Laurence accompanies his college roommate, Tenga, back to Tenga's Polynesian island home. There, Andre, assumes the native life and, after many trials with the native customs and their suspicions, marries his friend's sister, Kalua. Their marriage is barren of children. A final blow to Andre comes with the eruption of a volcano and island's holy man, The Kahuna, decides that the volcano can only be appeased with the sacrifice of Kalua.

A Tibetan-American filmmaker explores modes of resistance to Chinese occupation by speaking with activists in exile across three generations in disparate parts of the world. Ultimately a portrait of transgenerational trauma is revealed through personal testimonies of resilience in the face of oppression.

Every early spring since the 8th century, Buddhist monks at Nara Prefecture's Todaiji have practiced the Shuni-e ceremony. A series of esoteric rituals, including prayers to Kannon to protect humankind from disaster and disease, it also offers a window into Tang dynasty China. But in 2021, the COVID pandemic threatened to bring a halt to this uninterrupted tradition. Aided by an infectious disease specialist, the monks go to great lengths to hold this ancient practice for the 1,270th time.