Jean Griesser

Jean Griesser was majoring in photography at Rochester Institute of Technology when she met her future husband, John, who was pursuing a Master’s in photography at the same college. When John went to India to do his Master’s thesis (on the Hare Krishna people), he invited Jean to join him there, which she did in February of 1971. Together, the couple traveled throughout India photographing the people and culture, especially focusing on Srila Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Krishna Movement, and his followers.

After a couple of years, John and Jean added 16mm film to their repertoire. And over the years that followed, they filmed and photographed Prabhupada and his Hare Krishna Movement in India, North America, Europe, and England, and made eight documentaries about Prabhupada, his teachings, and his movement. In 2013 they founded Inner Voice Productions Inc. (IVP), a film production company dedicated to raising consciousness through impactful films. The 90-minute feature documentary, Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It (2017), is IVP’s first production.

Jean is also the author of five books, most recently a memoir: “Five Years, Eleven Months and a Lifetime of Unexpected Love,” which was a Finalist in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

The couple have two daughters and live in both Florida and British Columbia, but mostly Florida.