You are here:

Samadhi

Name: Samadhi
Director: Jordan Belson
Released: 1967
Duration: 5 min

Representation Score

2.2/10

Limited

1967

Director

Jordan Belson

Runtime

5 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Samadhi is a groundbreaking work of experimental animation that explores consciousness through sensory experiences. Since it operates through pure abstraction, it doesn't depict human characters or interpersonal dynamics. However, it achieves cultural depth by incorporating Eastern metaphysical concepts, such as those found in the Tibetan Book of the Dead and yogic meditation, moving beyond Western cinematic norms. Ultimately, the low diversity score is due to the film's non-representational nature, but it remains a significant departure from the Eurocentric norms of 1960s cinema.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Samadhi have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

This film does not include any characters or interpersonal dynamics, so there are no depictions of LGBTQ+ identities.

How does Samadhi portray gender?

Minimal

The work focuses on kaleidoscopic geometric patterns and fluid color transitions, which bypass traditional gender hierarchies and roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Samadhi?

Fair

The film centers on non-Western philosophical frameworks, particularly Yoga and Tibetan Buddhism, disrupting Eurocentric cinematic norms through abstraction.

How does Samadhi represent religion and culture?

Good

The film's themes align with Eastern traditions, focusing on meditative experiences rather than dogmatic practices, challenging Western dualistic views.

Does Samadhi include disability representation?

Minimal

As an abstract visual poem, the film does not feature characters and thus does not address physical or neurodivergent representation.

Present on Screen

Incorporates non-Western philosophical frameworks like Tibetan Buddhism and Yoga into the avant-garde tradition.
Challenges Eurocentric cinema by emphasizing Eastern metaphysical concepts such as Atma and Kundalini.
Frames consciousness as a fluid, non-linear process, diverging from Western dualistic traditions.

Limited or Absent

Does not include human characters, thus lacking direct representation of gender, LGBTQ+, or disability identities.
Its abstract nature prevents the use of dialogue or character arcs to explore social dynamics.

Official Synopsis

Samadhi is both mystical and mysterious, an incredible fusion of movement, sound and colour. Belson notes the influence of his study and practice of Yoga and Tibetan Buddhism on the creation of Samadhi. The film is inspired by the principles of yogic meditation: the movement of consciousness towards samadhi (union of subject and object), the fusion of atma (breath and mind), a state which reveals the divine force of kundalini, a bright white light we discover at the end of Samadhi. The Tibetan Book of The Dead is the inspiration behind Belson’s use of colour in Samadhi, corresponding to descriptions of the elements of Earth, Fire, Air and Water in the book. —Sophie Pinchetti, The Third Eye

How are these scores produced? →