The Nepalese temple of Manakamana sits 1,300 metres above sea level. The faithful are hauled to prayer by cable car. Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez’s film runs in real time as pilgrims rumble up the line. There’s the man with his chicken, and the woman with a poorly husband; an old lady who says, “The hills are gigantic” and a car full of goats, who keep their thoughts on the view to themselves. We’re basically gawking at a commute. Manakamana swings from soothing to soporific. It’s a perplexing film, purporting to celebrate the minutiae of life, which can be undeniably beautiful, but often pretty dull.
