'Soul of India' a revelation

[Guest guest]

Monday, April 14, 2003

Victorville, CA

'Soul of India' a revelation

Last film in season series preceded by colorful

By CHRISTINA L. ESPARZA/Staff Writer

 

VICTORVILLE — Every time documentary filmmaker and world traveler

Rick Ray was planning to go to India, a place he has for years

dreamed about exploring, something got in the way.

 

Aaron J.H. Walker / Staff Photographer

Members of the Indian American Cultural Society of High Desert

perform a regional dance to start the Passport presentation, 'The

Soul of India,' by filmmaker Rick Ray at the Victor Valley Community

College Performing Arts Center on Sunday evening.

 

One time he had appendicitis, another time he grabbed an opportunity

to visit with a movie camera the country of Burma, a place he would

not ordinarily get a chance to visit and film.

 

Finally Ray made it to India, the country with the second-largest

population in the world, and filmed the people.

 

He told their stories and tried to articulate to a Western audience

Sunday the complexities of the country through his film, "The Soul of

India," which was the last installment of this season's Passport to

Adventure Travel Series held at the Performing Arts Center at Victor

Valley Community College.

 

"My dream is to expand awareness in this country to the world," Ray

said.

 

"My objective is to show you more than what you see on CNN."

 

Preceding the film were several dance performances by girls and women

from the Indian American Cultural Association of the High Desert.

 

Dressed in flowing skirts and scarves, the dancers received a warm

round of applause and some audience members were in awe at the

colorful costumes.

 

"With every program, we try to bring something special," said Lewis

Williams, coordinator of the Passport series. "Every one of these is

unique and exciting in their own way."

 

This year, all six programs sold out the 499-person theater of the

performing arts center, Williams said.

 

Hesperia resident Carolyn Richardson had season tickets for the

travel series, and is a world traveler herself.

 

She said she often buys the videos and lends them to her son, a

middle school teacher, so he can show them to his classes.

 

"We feel like we're kind of spreading knowledge," Rich-ardson said.

 

"Our world is getting smaller and smaller every day because of

technology.

 

"We should know, love and respect the worlds of others."

 

Christina L. Esparza can be reached at

christina_esparza or 951-6233.