About the film
Enlighten Up! is a 2009 documentary film by Kate Churchill about yoga as exercise. It follows an unemployed journalist for six months after Churchill invites him to travel from the United States to India and practise with yoga masters. The journey includes Pattabhi Jois, his first American pupil Norman Allen, and B.
K. S. Iyengar.
At 82 minutes, the film presents this extended exploration in a compact feature format. Its subject is yoga as exercise, and its country is the United States. The documentary is in English.
Rather than offering only a general introduction, it follows one participant through sustained practice and encounters with named teachers in two countries. The result is a documentary built around travel, instruction and a personal examination of yoga’s role as physical exercise.
Who it is for
This is suited to viewers interested in yoga as exercise, documentary travel, and personal learning journeys. Teachers and students discussing documentary approaches to practice or physical culture may also find its focused subject useful.
Worth knowing
- Examines yoga as exercise
- Follows a six-month practice journey
- Travels from the US to India
- Features named yoga masters
- 82-minute runtime
Before you press play
- English-language documentary
- Centers on one journalist’s experience
- Released in 2009
The short of it
Enlighten Up! follows one journalist’s six-month path into yoga, from the United States to India and sessions with established teachers. Its focused subject and 82-minute length suit viewers who want a personal documentary about yoga as exercise.