Levitating

Rituals, séances and trance states – Indonesian shamanic culture isn't as mysterious and frightening as you might think. Bayu, a village teenager, is determined to become the village's finest trance-dance shaman. Through music, he leads the villagers in the joy of dancing with animal spirits, all while earning money to protect his hometown from rural gentrification! As local traditions fade in modernisation, their sacred wisdom is exploited by developers as a touristic experience. Wregas Bhanuteja shatters the stereotype in popular culture that traditional Indonesian shamans are either terrifying or exotic, showcasing the pure joy of connecting with all things in nature in shamanic dance. Sundance Film Festival