Showtime: Dec 10th, 1:00 PM at the Jean Cocteau Cinema Click here for Tickets
SYNOPSIS
Playwright turned doorman of The Bedfellow Hotel, Dan Bender is reeling from the death of his little sister. In a sex-
and-drug filled odyssey through Manhattan, his desperate search for fulfillment reunites him with a childhood love and ultimately, catalyzes a consciousness-expanding journey of self-discovery.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Kensho draws upon questions and ideas gathered from years of exploration into the nature and expansion of consciousness, as well as the deep love and unity I share with my family. What is the nature of reality? What is our highest purpose in life? How can we live free from suffering? Fascinated by how the collaborative arts can ask these questions, my intention as a filmmaker and theatre-artist has been to craft not only a fiercely entertaining story, but also a transformative film that has the potential to enliven the awareness of an audience. My extraordinary cast and crew (many of whom share a practice of yoga and meditation) set out to make a socially-relevant and consciousness-based platform for expression. Resonating deeply throughout my life and journey making the film, the profound inspiration of my family catalyzed much of the film’s narrative. Dan’s inconsolable loss of his sister grew out of my own struggles with death and the fear of losing my own sister at a time when she was struggling with substance abuse. My mother’s peace building work around the globe inspired Kate’s journey with the International Rescue Committee. It was a trip to Africa with my mom (who was working for the UN at the time) that planted the first seeds of the IRC storyline. My brother and father were also immeasurably powerful forces as the film began to take shape and are rooted in the character of Mosi, who is both a brother and a father.
Unity amongst family, community, world, Universe and Self are at the heart of Kensho. And NYC was a necessary backdrop for this — an infinitely correlated, supremely creative, evolutionary, and awe-inspiring microcosm of the Universe, itself.
Dan Bender’s journey in the film is our collective one. His search for freedom and fulfillment is universal as we navigate an increasingly complicated (though not necessarily connected) world. Telling his and Kate’s story expresses my resolve that motion pictures can uplift, inspire, and catalyze a profound examination of our human experience.
https://vimeo.com/85295394
