Special Ramadan Screening: Closer to God

Followed by a discussion with master khyal singer Ustad Naseeruddin Saami and an iftar fast-breaking reception.

This event is co-presented with The Reed Society and District of Raga. Ustad Saami performs at Wolf Trap on April 5.

Filmed in Pakistan, this immersive, fascinating documentary is a dual portrait of two men devoted to forging deep connections to both God and the people around them. Gogha Sain is a mystic who wears heavy rings on his legs, and is on a lifelong pilgrimage to place himself entirely in service to God and his fellow humans. The master of a centuries-old musical tradition, Ustad Naseeruddin Saami believes that the path to God is through lifelong study, tirelessly passing on his knowledge to younger generations, and the quest for self-knowledge. Filled with Saami’s mesmerizing singing, along with scenes filmed at awe-inspiring holy sites, Closer to God is a rich exploration of two men’s deeply spiritual approaches to life. (Dir.: Annette Berger & Grete Jentzen, Switzerland, 2018, 84 min., DCP, English, Pashto and Urdu with English subtitles)

Host or Publisher Freer and Sackler Galleries