Yasmina's Yatra

2010

Yasmina's Yatra is a contemporary art film by Winnipeg artist Ryan Klatt, starring Sarra Deane, with sound by Andy Rudolph. This featurette was shot in the high altitude deserts of Central Asia.

Yasmina, a free Islamic woman, journeys in extra-terrestrial landscapes past the brink of death. Here, sages, rakshas, and foretellers are the lone inhabitants. Spiritual exploration occurs through the symbolic juxtaposition of three dominant religious paths, Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity. The word “Yatra” combines the meaning of both pilgrimage and journey in Hindi.

An emotionally elevating original score, by Andy Rudolph, drives the film. Traditional eastern instrumentation, and voice by a selection of Winnipeg's premiere classical singers, resonates through the seven movements. Yasmina's Yatra is performed in the languages of Hindi, Ladaki and Spitian, with English subtitles.

“I am interested in making tangible the experiences of dreams, visions and meditations; the fringes of our shared reality. The afterlife is ultimately personal. I work to make an experience of the afterlife, which we can share during life.” -Ryan Klatt

This film is a timeless pilgrimage towards the divine.