+

Year of release: 2006
Director: Pan Nalin
Writers: Pan Nalin, Sarah Besan Shennib, Anurag Kashyap
Starring: Milind Soman, Mylene Jampanoi, Nasseruddin Shah, etc.

For more information on “Valley of Flowers”, visit Wikipedia and/or IMDb

 

General impression:
From the Himalayas to Tokyo, this story unfolds at the collision point of two realms, exploring topics such as the human condition, reincarnation, and demons. Many of my favorite childhood stories were Asian, and watching “Valley of Flowers” (and Pan Nalin’s other excelent movie, “Samsara”) felt like reading those stories again, only upgraded to mesmerize the adult version of me. It is a story about balance, about how some things work their course and laws, not depending on our will or attempts to trick their natural order. It is also a beautiful love story, loaded with magic and adventure, the story of two bandit lovers who tried to steal their right to be together. How do you steal what you can’t have?

Highlights:
It’s flawless. You may like it or not, but it truly is a flawless artistic film, beyond the subjectivity of personal taste.

Downside:
The rating on IMDb is a joke and should not be taken seriously. This movie deserves a much wider audience and a louder recognition.

Would I see it again? – Yes, regularly

My Rating (1 to 10): 10

Recommended: Highly

Suggestion:
I’m not sure it works as a purely entertaining movie. Make sure you’re in the mood for thinking and dreaming, before you watch it.