Part of the World Tour: Roots & Routes Series
International House Davis invites the community to experience The Smoldering Forest: A People-Powered Cinema on June 4 from 6:00–8:00 PM at 10 College Park, Davis. This unique, participatory performance is presented as part of I-House Davis’ World Tour: Roots & Routes series, which explores diaspora, identity, and belonging through arts and culture.
Created and performed by artist Anuj Vaidya, The Smoldering Forest reimagines the South Asian epic Ramayana through the voice of its female protagonist, Sita—daughter of the earth. In this retelling, the epic transforms into a series of eco-tales at the edge of the sixth extinction, blending mythology, ecology, and science-fiction in an immersive, collective storytelling experience.
Rather than watching a screen, audiences gather in a circle and become part of the film itself. Participants pass images and objects hand-to-hand, experience a live soundtrack performed by Vaidya, and take part in a guided visualization—co-creating the cinema together through imagination. By transforming the cinematic form, the performance asks us to reimagine the digital as handmade – of the digits – rather than the sensorially impoverished versions of the digital being pushed on us today.
“This performance is an invitation to remember that storytelling technologies are meant to bring us into community, rather than isolating and dividing us” says Vaidya. “If we had used a projector, we would all be facing the screen; instead, now we are in a circle, facing each other.”
The Smoldering Forest is part of Forest Tales, an ongoing series that brings the epic tradition into the present through a speculative, community-centered approach to cinema. Originally envisioned as a film powered by human energy, the project has evolved into a live performance—offering an alternative to energy-intensive media production while emphasizing collaboration, embodiment, and imagination.
The work has been presented at venues including the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts (New York City), the Asian Art Museum (San Francisco), and international festivals and conferences in India and beyond.
Anuj Vaidya is a media maker, curator, and educator whose work spans performance, multimedia installation, storytelling, and social practice. His collaborative approach invites audiences to become co-creators, exploring the cultural and environmental impacts of storytelling and media.
Tickets: Sliding scale $10–$20. Register at bit.ly/smolderingforest. Free tickets available upon request at bit.ly/ihouseticketrequest.
About International House Davis
International House Davis (I-House) is an international culture center dedicated to nurturing the exchange of arts, culture, and ideas to build a culturally vibrant, globally connected, and inclusive community. People from all over the world come together in our beloved gathering space to celebrate our common humanity, share cultural practices and traditions, engage with our differences, cultivate joy, combat isolation, and foster civic dialogue. At I-House, we believe that culture, community, and fellowship are the lifeblood of a healthy and vibrant city, region, and society.
