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The HBO Original four-part documentary series Breath of Fire, directed by Hayley Pappas and Smiley Stevens, will debut on Wednesday, October 23, at 9:00 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes debut subsequent Wednesdays through November 13.

In 2013, Katie Griggs, a millennial YouTube astrologer, rose to fame as the face of Kundalini yoga, opening the Ra Ma Institute in Los Angeles, donning a white turban, and reinventing herself as Guru Jagat. Breath of Fire explores Guru Jagat’s evolution while chronicling the shocking secret history of Kundalini, from its origins in the 1960s to its expansion in the United States and its presence in wellness circles today.

Based on the Vanity Fair story by Hayley Phelan, The Second Coming of Guru Jagat, Breath of Fire illuminates the culture of modern spirituality, revealing complicated themes of cultural appropriation and the dangers of self-proclaimed gurus.

The first-ever Raintown Film Festival was successfully held at Paragon Cinema, Taiping Mall, from September 13 to 15, 2024. This three-day event brought local filmmakers and audiences together for a celebration of creativity, storytelling, and community. Aulong State Assemblyman Yb Teh Kok Lim attended the opening ceremony and praised the return of young talent to their hometown to help develop the creative industry. The festival’s founder, Taiping-born filmmaker Jacky Yeap, said, “I was encouraged by Yb Wong Kah Woh and inspired by the 150th anniversary of Taiping City’s founding. I feel it is the perfect time to give myself a chance to use my knowledge

and skills to contribute to my hometown.”

The festival opened with “Rain Town”, directed by Tunku Mona Riza. Other film screenings included “Ah Kew The Digger” by Khoo Eng Yow, “Rain Dogs” by Ho Yuhang, and “Jagat” by Sun-j Perumal. All these films were shot in...

The First Raintown Film Festival will officially take place at Paragon Cinemas, Taiping Mall, from September 13 to 15, 2024. This three-day event will showcase four local feature films, six short films, one film talk, one film workshop and an outdoor film screening. Filmmakers will be present for post-screening Q&a sessions to interact with the audience. All activities are free and open to the public. Please register in advance to reserve your ticket.

In celebration of Taiping's 150th anniversary, the festival will show four local films shot in Taiping, including “Rain Town” directed by Tunku Mona Riza, “Rain Dogs” directed by Ho Yuhang from the project Star Chinese Movies Network initiated by Andy Lau in 2006, “Jagat”, the winner of Best Film in 28th Malaysia Film Festival directed by Shanjey Kumar Perumal, and a documentary “Ah Kew The Digger” directed by Khoo Eng Yow which delves into Taiping's history with the narration of Taiping historian Lee Eng Kew.