A feature documentary from The Matrimandir & I
75 voices. Five years. One extraordinary place.
What does the Matrimandir mean to the people whose lives have unfolded around it?
The Centre Within is a feature documentary exploring the Matrimandir through the personal stories, memories and reflections of 75 people connected to Auroville.
WATCH THE TRAILER
THE FILM
At the heart of Auroville stands the Matrimandir — a place created for silence, concentration and the exploration of consciousness.
But The Centre Within is not simply a film about a building.
Over five years, filmmaker Serena Aurora invited 75 people to reflect on their relationship with the Matrimandir. Their answers reveal something much larger: stories of belonging, transformation, community, spirituality, conflict, memory and the search for human unity.
Some remember the Matrimandir before it existed. Some helped build it. Others grew up in its presence or encountered it much later.
Together, their voices create an intimate portrait of one extraordinary place — and the many different meanings it can hold.
75 VOICES. ONE CENTRE.
There is no single story of the Matrimandir.
Each person approaches it through their own life, experiences and understanding.
By bringing these perspectives together, The Centre Within asks us to look beyond the physical structure and consider something more universal:
What happens when a place becomes part of our inner life?
FROM THE MATRIMANDIR & I
The Centre Within grew from The Matrimandir & I, an independent documentary project created over five years.
The wider project has recorded 75 voices through individual interviews, a 12-episode documentary series and short films.
The feature brings these years of conversations together into one cinematic journey.
EXPLORE THE MATRIMANDIR & I PROJECT
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
I began The Matrimandir & I with a simple desire to understand what the Matrimandir meant to the people around me.
I didn’t expect one question to lead to five years of conversations.
As more people shared their stories, I began to see that this was not only a film about the Matrimandir. It was about our relationship with place, community, consciousness and one another.
There are many different perspectives in this film. That is important to me. The Centre Within does not try to provide one answer to what the Matrimandir is or what it should mean.
Instead, it creates a space for people to listen.
— Serena Aurora, Director
FILM DETAILS
Title: The Centre Within
Director: Serena Aurora
Production: Aurora’s Eye Films
Country: India
Language: English
Format: Feature Documentary
Runtime: 90 minutes
Alternative Version: 40-minute version available
Project: The Matrimandir & I
SCREENINGS & DISTRIBUTION
Help us take The Centre Within to audiences around the world.
We are currently seeking distribution partners, screening opportunities, festivals, cultural organisations and communities interested in bringing the film to new audiences.
We also welcome conversations with organisations interested in hosting screenings followed by discussions around Auroville, community, consciousness and human unity.
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DISTRIBUTION & PARTNERSHIPS
CONTACT US
DISCOVER MORE
The Centre Within is one part of a much larger collection of stories.
Explore the 12-episode series, 75 individual voices and short films that grew from The Matrimandir & I.
EXPLORE THE FULL PROJECT