Dancing in Fire
Post-film discussion with director Alfred Pach
This film documents for the first time the spirit and deity possession seances and the sacred Khalikhane fire-walking ceremony that occurred in a Hindu village in the Kathmandu Valley. It is an audio-visual sensory and multi-storied exploration of the experiences and responses to traumatic loss and suffering, and the transformative effects of communal ceremony and ritual healing. The documentary was produced over six weeks of continuous filming to capture the immersive rituals, music, dance of the Khalikhane ceremony and the embodied, possession testimonies of ancestral spirits who describe their unnatural, often violent, deaths that have left them trapped as wandering spirits. Seeking recognition and release from their earthly existence, they cause family members illness and misfortune. A ritual specialist calls these spirits to possess family members, describe the events of their death, and enter the fire-walking ceremony to be released to the divine ancestral realm. These events bring family members relief from everyday suffering and misfortune, help process their grief, and support the spiritual progress of their loved ones’ souls. This documentary is a testament to the power of ritual and community to heal and process suffering caused by the traumatic loss of family members. The film concludes with a joyous community celebration of the success of the ceremony.
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