John Griesser

John Griesser, who, in 1970, was pursuing a Master’s Degree in photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology, met his future wife, Jean, who was also there, majoring in photography. 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 (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami), the founder of the Hare Krishna Movement, and his followers.

After a couple of years, John and Jean added 16mm film to their repertoire. Over the years that followed, they filmed and photographed Prabhupada and his Hare Krishna Movement in India, North America, Europe, and England. They made eight documentaries about Prabhupada, his teachings, and his movement, including the award-winning documentary, “Vrindavan: Land of Krishna” (1978).

In 2013, they founded Inner Voice Productions, Inc. (IVP), a film production company dedicated to raising consciousness through impactful films. The 90-minute feature film, Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It (2017), is IVP’s first production. The documentary provides a behind-the scenes insight into the founder of the Hare Krishna Movement, one of the most high profile spiritual leaders of the 20th century.

Jean and John have two daughters. They live mostly in Florida, but also in British Columbia.