Samsara information

"Samsara," directed and shot by Ron Fricke, has begun lensing and will span 12 to 14 months and more than 20 countries.

From producer Mark Magidson:

"One of the challenges of this is to try to get stunning and unfamiliar imagery. We also need to have a lot of density of imagery to build the sequences for a film that relies on non-verbal storytelling and can sustain interest for the length of a feature."

Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance and "Gladiator" fame will be involved in the "Samsara" score.

Improvements in home- theater systems over the years have helped keep homevid demand strong, and "Baraka" has shipped more than half a million DVDs to date. An upgraded edition, in both regular and high-definition, is on the way from MPI Home Video by year's end.

Budget for the sequel is likely to exceed the original's $3 million, with world distribution rights expected to remain up for grabs until shooting wraps.