District of Raga & Reed Society in collaboration with National Museum of Asian Art present Closer to God | Film Screening.

Free and open to the public.  RSVP required, please reserve a spot.

Special Ramadan Screening

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

This event is copresented with The Reed Society and National Museum of Asian Art. Ustad Naseeruddin 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)

Image courtesy of Annette Berger