A priest performs sacred rites at a shrine near the Ganges. The king of a cremation grounds sells sacred fire to mourners. A healer attends pained people. Unfolding from one sunrise to the next: an account of the grief and happiness that punctuate daily life in the holy city of Benares, India.

The great American ethnographic filmmaker Robert Gardner passed away in 2014, leaving behind a legacy of innovative work that connects a line between filmmakers such as Jean Rouch and Werner Herzog. This gorgeous, contemplative exploration of an Indian city ranks among his many groundbreaking films.