When you figure out you like yourself better as an imposter than as the person you outwardly present on a daily basis, it might be time to make some life changes. So goes the discovery of filmmaker Vikram Gandhi, who’s disillusioned with the unsubstantiated affectations of spiritual masters and their devotees and sets out to explore the nature of blind faith by posing as a guru from the Himalayas named Kumaré. This experiment involved not only fabricating an entire personality and philosophy, but roping in sincere followers of his own, the lives of whom he became deeply embedded as an imposter. What he’s presenting now is a documentary film based on the experience, titled after his avatar’s namesake, and never was there a trickier line between total dick behavior and true humanity.Fucking with someone’s faith can qualify as cruelty. And that’s what Vikram Gandhi perhaps inadvertently set out to do, and in the course not only realized some crucial things for himself about how people develop inner strength and connect, but also connected those people as individuals to their own self-worth. So you set off to do some snarky thing, but realize your error and improve yourself and others because of it… does that make you a good person? And if you discover you’ve devoted yourself to a fraud but end up better for it in the long run, surely it qualifies as a worthwhile experience, right? There really are a lot of questions after watching Kumaré, so it’s a good thing Vikram Gandhi will be there in person for a Q&A after the screening this Sunday at Cinefamily in Los Angeles, moderated by Process Media boss and The Source co-director Jodi Wille.Kumaré, with Vikram Gandhi Q&A moderated by Jodi Willie
Sunday, August 5, 3 PM
Cinefamily, 611 N. Fairfax, Los AngelesKumaré has several showtimes starting today through August 9, some of which feature the director in person. Check Cinefamily's website for details.@lizzyarmstrong