~ Poet: Jalal ad-Din Rumi ~
The World by Rumi
The World is an animated film by Ella Dobson from writing by the Persian mystic Jalal ad-Din Rumi, who is widely known simply as Rumi (1207-1273). The words are spoken beautifully by contemporary Iranian academic Fatemeh Keshavarz, who also was translator. Sound and music are by Chris Heagle.
This is a one in a series of poetry films produced by the On Being Project, a non-profit initiative. Another video from the series was earlier featured here at Moving Poems, from Wendell Berry’s The Peace of Wild Things.
Like This by Jalal ad-Din Rumi
http://vimeo.com/42161853
David Martineau Lachance is the animator, director, and reader of the text, which is of course a translation from Coleman Barks. See the description on Vimeo for a complete list of Lachance’s collaborators on the film.
Erica Goss included this film in a selection of “10 Outstanding Poetry Films from the Zebra Poetry Film Festival 2012” this month in her “Third Form” column at Connotation Press. Be sure to go watch her other selections (some of which I haven’t shared here, due to a lack of English translation or for other reasons), and of course to read the second half of her review of the poetry festival.
These Spiritual Window Shoppers by Jalal ad-Din Rumi
Coleman Barks reads his translation. As usual with the YouTube videopoems from Four Seasons Productions, there aren’t any credits, so I don’t know who put this together.
“Look at her face…” Ghazal by Jalal ad-Din Rumi
This film-student production by Mark Pariselli features a simple yet ingenious solution to the problem of how to depict mystical consciousness. (Also, it includes footage of mating snails — always a plus in my book.) Read the ghazal here.
Those Who Don’t Feel This Love by Jalal ad-Din Rumi
An inspired choice of film footage to accompany Coleman’s Barks’ reading of his Rumi translation. My favorite of the three Rumi video poems from Four Seasons Productions on YouTube.
Who Says Words with My Mouth by Jalal ad-Din Rumi
Coleman Barks reads his version of the Rumi poem. I found the combination with old streetcar footage strangely effective. (The music is a little irritating, though.) As usual with the YouTube video poems from Four Seasons Productions, no credits are given for filmmaker(s). Another of their videos features a much less interesting, New Agey interpretation of a Barks/Rumi poem, “Only Breath.”
