Mystic Mass

Karim B. Haroun's documentary looks at the Shia Muslim observances held annually in the Lebanese town of Nabatieh to commemorate the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, during a battle in 680 A.D. Viewers unfamiliar with the importance of Hussein in the development of the Islamic faith and culture may feel a bit stranded, as the film offers very little insight into the historic significance of this 7th-century figure. And what happens in Nabatieh is not your run-of-the-mill religious festival: it features 24 hours of flagellation and self-mutilation, the cutting of young boys with razors, long processions full of screams and wails, and an elaborate and violent re-enactment of the battle where Hussein fell. Since Mystic Mass takes a fly-on-the-wall approach but provides very little explanation regarding protocol, viewers may well be confused or disturbed (or both) by the actions captured on camera. Optional. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)