Oscar-winning British documentarian Orlando von Einsiedel is best known for finding stories of hope and humanity in places of darkness and despair. There was “Virunga,” about the work of Congolese park rangers during a brutal uprising, as well as “The White Helmets,” about the Syrian Civil Defense’s daring rescue mission in war-torn Aleppo (fun fact: Netflix won its first Academy Award). Most recently, he directed “The Lost Children,” about indigenous children who survive for 40 days in the Colombian Amazon after a plane crash.
But even von Einsiedel will be the first to admit that The Cycle of Love is a little different for him. A story of unashamed joy and positivity, it’s likely to put a smile on the face of even the most hardened pessimist.
The documentary, which makes its first bow on Telluride and is being shown for the first time in Europe as part of CPH:DOX in Copenhagen (distributed by Dogwoof and has distribution in the UK), tells the truly incredible story of PK Mahanandia, a young and impoverished street artist from Delhi who was painting portraits for tourists and passersby in 1975 when he met Swedish traveler Lotta. The two quickly fell in love, guided by a prophecy given to PK by an astrologer when he was a baby: “You will marry a girl who is neither from this village nor from this country. She will like music, own a jungle, and be born under the sign of the Ox.” Coincidentally, Lotta was born in May, played the recorder and piano, and although she did not own a jungle, her family did have a small forest. He knew it was destiny. they got married.
However, Lotta returned to Sweden and the two kept in touch through letters. Eventually, unable to afford a plane ticket, PK decided to sell everything he owned, buy a used bicycle, and in 1977 set off on a 6,000-mile transcontinental voyage through Iran and Afghanistan to Gothenburg to reunite with the woman he had captured his heart. Almost 50 years later, PK and Lotta are still together with their two children.
In an interview with Variety, von Einsiedel spoke about making a film about a now-impossible journey with Priyanka Chopra Jonas as executive producer, and why directing The Cycle reaffirmed his faith in humanity at a time when we need it most.
You are known for making documentaries that depict positive rays of hope from places around the world where there has been mostly doom and despair. But with “The Cycle of Love,” you’ve made something thoroughly fun, bright, and fun. OK? Are you getting older and more sentimental?
Maybe I’m getting old and sentimental too! But you’re right. I’ve made a lot of films that I think touch on the dark side of humanity. But I wanted to create something really positive for a long time and I thought it was necessary. I think we needed a reminder of the wonders of being human, of the commonalities between us, of the things that unite us, not the things that separate us. And I think love is probably the only thing we can all agree on. And when I learned about this story and read the book about PK and Lotta, there were so many rich themes there that really resonated with me. And I met both of them, and they were the most fascinating human beings with such big, open hearts. I was at my best.
I remember hearing this wonderful story before the news broke about this doctor. I felt like this was one of those life-affirming stories that you don’t really hear very often. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were quite a few people who wanted to see this on screen. How did you come to make it?
The real story is that I was giving a speech at a Nobel Prize event. — and two smiling young people handed me a book and said, “We know your work and this is the story of our parents. Would you be interested in making a film about it?” And from my experience, if someone cold approaches you at an event, it usually doesn’t end up being the story of your dreams. So I was very grateful and picked up the book, but I didn’t read it. Then a few months later, I was going on vacation, and as I read this book on the plane, I thought to myself: And I immediately got back in touch, but at this point, I didn’t hear from them, so a lot of other people were trying to get in touch. But I was able to meet PK and Lott, the co-producers of this film, and their children, and we developed a relationship.
So how did you figure out how to turn this story into a documentary?
Actually, I was really excited about that story, but unfortunately when PK traveled 50 years ago, he didn’t have a crew to accompany him. But I made a film about my brother who committed suicide about seven years ago. My family didn’t deal with it much. So I had the idea that if I walked all the way around England, where I spent time with my brother, I could tell him about him. The most memorable part of making this film was the conversations I had with strangers, which turned out to be very beautiful moments. And I thought, let’s take that idea, the concept of travel, road trips, meeting people, and apply it to this movie. For me, what struck me most about the story of the PK I interviewed was that he had a lot of trauma from growing up under the caste system, which ultimately manifested as a lack of self-belief. He spoke movingly about how his travels and the people he met along the way changed him and helped him learn to love himself. So we followed the route, or part of the route, that PK took with young actors and PK, meeting strangers and sparking very organic conversations in the hope that those deep relationships would come to the fore.
The world was a very different place in 1977 than it is today, and the idea of cycling from India to Europe via Afghanistan and Iran seems completely far-fetched. How did you achieve this?
So we shot most of it in India. We didn’t know if it would work, but it turns out there are important pockets and communities of Afghans, Iranians, and Turks. And apart from the two main actors and one or two other small moments, everyone in the movie is a real person that we street cast. Nothing is scripted. All of these conversations were real conversations.
How did PK enjoy this experience?
That was unusual. So, on a kind of movie level, it was a great resource for us to have him there, giving us feedback on everything and making sure everything was authentic. But on another level, he would often watch these conversations unfold and start crying and say, “Of course I’ve never met this person, but I’ve had a lot of conversations like that.” He was very impressed. And the whole crew started crying. Having him with us was magical.
What did PK and Lotta think of the finished film?
Well, what I can tell you is that every time they go to a festival, they see it at every screening. They love the moments when people laugh and say “aha”. Their stories are taught in Swedish schools, so people are used to knowing about them. But this movie was another way for people to interact with the movie, and I think they found it really interesting.
It feels like every time there’s a really happy, uplifting movie, everyone says that’s exactly what the world needs, given how awful everything else is. But given what’s going on right now, I honestly feel like there’s no better time to write a story like this.
I’m glad to hear you say that. And as you said, the world feels like a pretty dark place at the moment. I also feel there are very few forums for human connection and to discuss the complex issues of division and what unites and unites us. But cinema is one of them, and I believe it is a great tool for reconnecting us with our humanity at a time when we are all in danger of losing our humanity. So I hope that by sharing PK’s story, you will be reminded that most people are good. The vast majority of people on this planet are good.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas is also an executive producer. How did that happen?
One of the producers showed Priyanka an early cut of the film. She already knew about PK’s story and loved the way we brought it to life for a movie audience. Like us, she felt that this story transcended borders and nationalities. She and the team at Purple Pebble Pictures have supported many powerful stories that tackle incredible challenges. And PK’s stories feel in line with their passion for stories that are both intimate and universal.
Did making “The Cycle of Love” reaffirm your faith in humanity?
In large quantities. I get the same affirmation from almost every film we make, even those made in the highlands of conflict zones. But this story accomplishes that on so many levels.
