Samsara

Two continents, two communities, two belief systems, two sets of experiences and inner lives. Between them lies a sensory pathway, all light and sound. Every morning, a Buddhist teenager visits an elderly woman’s home to read her The Bardo Thödol, a guide for the journey between death and the next rebirth. On her last day, the young man whispers the book’s final passages in her ear, closes his eyes, and meditates alongside her, as she embarks on a transformative journey into what lies beyond.

Lois Patiño (Galicia, Spain, 1983), filmmaker and artist, has shown his films at festivals such as Cannes, Berlinale, Locarno, Toronto, Rotterdam, New York, Viennale, IDFA, Oberhausen. His most recent works Sycorax (2021) and The Sower of Stars (2022) have premiered at Cannes Quinzaine and Berlinale Shorts. His two feature films Costa da Morte (2013) and Red Moon Tide (2020) premiered at Locarno and Berlinale Forum. His last feature Samsara premiered at Berlinale Encounters (2023).