Regal Cinemas will show the documentary film Hare Krishna!, about the life and teachings of ISKCON Founder Srila Prabhupada, as a one-off event screening in over eighty cities across the United States.

The screening will be held at 7pm in all time zones on Sept 21^st, the International Day of Peace. It’s apt timing, considering Srila Prabhupada’s message: “When we understand that we are not these bodies but are spirit souls, then there will be peace.” 

Filmmakers Yadubara Das and Visakha Dasi (John and Jean Greisser) hope that the event will open the indie film up to a wider audience. They encourage ISKCON devotees: “This is a great opportunity to celebrate world peace by bringing along your families, friends, colleagues, yoga buddies or student groups to watch the film.”

Devotees are also encouraged to become “movie captains” or “outreach ambassadors” in their area, and to promote their city’s screening as much as possible.

The Hare Krishna! team is providing marketing materials on its website http://harekrishnathefilm.com that include a shareable trailer and sample Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts and images. Hard copy materials like printable posters, bookmarks, postcards and press kits are also available. There are even notes on how to put together a Sunday Feast presentation on the film.

“It’s a simultaneous one-off event that everyone can get involved in, to celebrate International Day of Peace with Srila Prabhupada,” says producer Jessica Heinrich.

Already, Hare Krishna! has had incredible success. In June, it won the coveted Jury Prize for Best Picture at Illuminate, the world’s premier conscious film festival. Since then it has screened in over thirty-five locations. It had the highest per theater average for an independent film on its opening weekend in New York. Its Los Angeles opening was also a great success, leading to a four-week run. And many other cities saw great success too.

“Devotees have been very excited by the film and how well it portrays the movement to the public, teaching them about Prabhupada and his journey, and the massive impact he had in this country,” Jessica says. 

Members of the public themselves have also given excellent feedback. “People have gone in to the movie thinking of the Hare Krishna Movement as a cultish group; maybe a little bit annoying on the streets or in airports,” Jessica says. “But when they come out, their perspective on the movement has done a 180 – they’re amazed by Prabhupada, his teachings and what he did in such a short time.”

The documentary has an unexpected impact on some. Director Yadubara Das recalls meeting one woman at a theater in New York who was going to see a different film. “But if I’m not enjoying it, I’ll walk out and go see yours,” she told him. As it happened, she did. When she emerged from Hare Krishna!, there were tears in her eyes. “This film has changed my life,” she said.

As Srila Prabhupada shared with us, “My mission of life is to propagate the idea of cultivating spiritual vision, which alone can bring about peace and prosperity of the human society.”

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To help change more people’s lives, promote the Hare Krishna! Peace Day screening in your city. Get your screening toolkit, which includes everything you need to spread the word, here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_uL1QMbGWpTanBPZTlNMTRlOE0

For more information, contact: info@innervoiceproductions.com

To find a screening near you and get tickets, visit http://harekrishnathefilm.com/theatrical-on-demand/