ABOUT THE PROJECT
LOGLINE
A cinematic journey tracing how Swami Vivekananda’s 1893 voyage to America sparked a century-long cultural exchange between India and the West—revealing yoga’s true origins and its enduring impact on global consciousness.
SYNOPSIS
DHARMALAND is a feature documentary exploring the profound influence of Indian spirituality on Western culture through the life and legacy of Swami Vivekananda—the first man to bring yoga to America.
The film follows Vivekananda from his youth in 19th-century Calcutta through his groundbreaking appearance at the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago, where his “Sisters and Brothers of America” speech transformed him into an international icon. From there, it traces the ripple effects of his teachings through figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Aldous Huxley, Joseph Campbell, and The Beatles—illustrating how one voice helped reshape art, politics, and popular culture across continents.
Blending archival footage, contemporary interviews, and cutting-edge AI technology, the film bridges the past and present to make history feel alive and emotionally immediate. Ancient Indian ragas mix with classic ’60s tracks and modern hip-hop to create a musical tapestry that mirrors the story’s fusion of East and West.
Spanning continents and generations, DHARMALAND traces the real people and events that carried India’s spiritual philosophy into Western life. The film highlights how Vivekananda’s ideas took root across culture, politics, and popular media, offering a clear and cinematic look at how yoga and Vedanta became part of the modern world.
PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature
DIRECTOR Nicholas Oscoff
PRODUCER Stash Slionski, Douglas Emerson, Nicholas Oscoff
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Philip Goldberg, Chris Panizzon, Shira Lazar
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