Harvard professors Richard Alpert and Timothy Leary made countercultural history in 1963 when they were fired from that institution for conducting controversial psychedelic drug research. In the purple haze aftermath, Alpert journeyed to India and found his guru Maharaj ji, who renamed him Ram Dass (“Servant of God”). Best known for his 1971 bestseller BE HERE NOW, which was a spiritual touchstone of the era, Ram Dass became an inspiration to people across the globe. Filmmaker Mickey Lemle—who has known his subject for more than twenty-five years—intersperses vivid archival footage from hippiedom’s glory days with intimate glimpses of Ram Dass today, as he continues to remake his life since being—in his words—“stroked” in 1997. Named by NEWSWEEK as one of the Top Five Non-Fiction Films of 2002, RAM DASS FIERCE GRACE is an engrossing, poignant meditation on spirituality, consciousness, healing and the unexpected grace of aging.

Appearances by Dr. Larry Brilliant, Wavy Gravy, Shana Roth, Caryl Sircus, Steve & Anita Isser, William Alpert, Dr. Ralph Metzner, Dr. Huston Smith, Rosemary Woodruff Leary, Bhagavan Das, Carolyn Ruth Chan, Lynne Oberlander, Krishna Das, KK Sah, Dr. Ming Qing Chu, Mark Matousek, Robert McDermott, Abby Reyes

Cinematographer Buddy Squires
Associate Producer Linda K. Moroney
Editors Aaron Vega, Mickey Lemle, Jacob Craycroft
Original Music Teese Gohl
Co-Producers Jessica Brackman, Buddy Squires
Sound Recordist Peter Bettendorf, John Zecca, P. D. Valson, Michael Becker
Assistant Camera John Chater, Jill Tufts, Deshraj, Ulli Bonnekamp
Production Manager (India) Nihal Mathur
Sound Editor Jacob Ribicoff Planet 10 Post
Re-Recording Mixer Dominick Tavella at Sound One Corp. NY
Additional Photography John Chater, Pramrod Mathur
Additional Editing Linnea Hamilton
Rights Clearance Elizabeth Klinck
Assistant Sound Editor Mike Poppelton
Foley Artists Aaron Lemle, Brian Vancho
Sound Effects Dennis Leonard, Mac Smith
Film to Tape Colorist John J. Dowdell
On-line Editor Greg Smith