“Bali: Beats of Paradise,” an original documentary that pulls back the curtain on gamelan music and Nyoman Wenten – a celebrated Indonesian composer who sets out to pay homage to the sacred but shrinking tradition of Balinese music and dance, will have its world premiere at The Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, CA on Wednesday, November 7th.
The film will open exclusively in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Theater and at the Cinema Village in New York for an exclusive run beginning Friday, November 16th. Distributed by Sun and Moon Films, the documentary is directed and produced by filmmaker Livi Zheng (“Brush with Danger”).
“Bali: Beats of Paradise” is a visionary tale that examines the collective wisdom and talent of Wenten and Grammy Award-winning vocalist Judith Hill (20 Feet from Stardom), as they join forces to reignite gamelan – Bali’s rhythmic style of classical music. After 40 years of teaching and performing gamelan all over the world, Wenten is approaching retirement and aware of the fleeting popularity of his homeland’s beloved musical tradition. At the same time, Hill is looking for a distinctive sound for a new piece of music she’s composing. After meeting, the two agree on collaborating by blending the sounds of classic funk with the beats of Bali. The final result is an epic music video that catapults gamelan into the digital age.
“Most people will never have the chance to experience the beautiful, vibrant scenery Bali is famous for,” said Zheng. “When I traveled to Bali to make this film, the most important thing was to capture the culture and traditions of everyday life – including Balinese ceremonies. Whether filled with joy or sorrow, each one is always accompanied by the traditional sounds of gamelan.”
Encapsulating the brilliant scenery of Indonesia, Director Livi Zheng offers an exclusive glimpse at intimate gamelan street performances while spotlighting the handmade percussion instruments and exquisite Balinese costumes of the multi-timbre ensemble.
