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Gambling, Gods and LSD streaming

2002 Movie Switzerland, Canada Documentary 180 min
By: Peter Mettler With: Justine Bellinsky, Govinda, Peter Mettler

A filmmaker's inquiry into transcendence becomes a three-hour trip across countries and cultures, interconnecting people, places and times. From Toronto, the scene of his childhood, Peter Mettler sets out on a journey that includes evangelism at the airport strip, demolition in Las Vegas, tracings in the Nevada desert, chemistry and street life in Switzerland, and the coexistence of technology and divinity in contemporary India. Everywhere along the way, the same themes are to be found: thrill-seeking, luck, destiny, belief, expanding perception, the craving for security in an uncertain world. Fact joins with fantasy; the search for meaning and the search for ecstasy begin to merge.

Filmium rating
70%

Festival Achievements

DOK Leipzig 2023
Selections:
Hommage Peter Mettler
Visions du Réel 2020
Selections:
Atelier Peter Mettler
International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam 2008
Selections:
Top 10
International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam 2002
Selections:
IDFA Archive

Mood

Enlightening
Experimental
Exploratory
Introspective
Thought-Provoking
Thoughtful
Transcendental

Cast & Crew

Peter Mettler
Alexandra Rockingham Gill
Justine Bellinsky
Govinda
Albert Hofmann (Scientist)
Director
Documentary Filmmaker
Documentary Filmmakers
Fred Frith (Composer)
Interview Subjects
Interviewer
John Paul Young (Interviewee)
Peter Mettler (Director)
Roland Schlimme (Editor)

Cinematic Technique

Cinematic Collage
Immersive
Interview-Based
Location-Driven
Observational
Single-Camera
Unscripted

Film Movements

Experimental Film

Narrative Structure

Associative
Fragmented
Multi-Segment
Multi-Segmented
Non-Linear

Pace

Layered
Meditative
Reflective
Slow-Paced

Runtime

Three Hours

Soundtrack

Ambient Music
Artistic Remix
Experimental Score

Style

Art Film
Documentary
Experimental
Fragmented
Fragmented Narrative
Visual Enigma

Time-Period

Late 1990S

Central Conflict

Escape From Reality
Search For Happiness
Transcendence

Characters

Addicted Individuals
Gamblers
Pilgrims
Scientist
Spiritual Seekers

Ending

Meditative
Open-Ended
Reflective

Historical Context

Late 20Th Century
Post-Psychedelic Era

Key Plot Points

Cultural Rituals
Drug Discovery
Interviews
Religious Rituals

Plot

Addiction
Addiction And Transcendence
Cultural Exploration
Cultural Journey
Fragmented Narrative
Personal Journey
Search For Happiness
Self-Discovery
Spiritual Exploration

Setting

Hampi
Las Vegas
Mumbai
Toronto
Zurich

Shooting Location

Canada
India
Switzerland
United States

Theme

Addiction
Happiness
Human Spirituality
Illusion Of Safety
Search For Happiness
Search For Meaning
Self-Discovery
Transcendence

Genre

Art Film
Documentary
Experimental
Experimental Documentary
Travelogue

Audiences

Art Film Enthusiasts
Art House Enthusiasts
Art-House Enthusiasts
Documentary Lovers
Experimental Film Viewers
Intellectual Audience
Intellectual Audiences
Philosophical Viewers

Titles

Gambling, Gods And Lsd

Awards

Best Documentary
Genie Award
Grand Prix

Critical Reception

Elusive
Layered
Thought-Provoking

Festivals

Festival Of New Cinema
Vancouver International Film Festival

Reception

Award-Winning
Critical Acclaim
Critically Acclaimed
Festival Favorite
Festival Prize
Film Festival Success

Production Countries

Canada
Switzerland

Release Year

2002
mowizz ID: 110f07bb-b03d-4736-8ab9-cba008d6d2cf
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