Synchronistic Flow

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Continuing with my theme of the past two posts this is turning out to be a magical summer where all of my efforts have produced a flow that seems to have a force of its own. That is what synchronicity is after all. After seeing ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’ I ended up at a ranch on native land near Lytton, BC. We stayed with a beautiful family with a special ancestry steeped in rich traditions from BC’s first nations. In the surrounding area and in the nearby Stein Valley there are caves with petrogylphs and for three days I listened to stories of the paintings in these caves, stories of the land and of ancestry. Stories of prophecy.

My dreams during my stay on this pristine land were vivid and insightful. My dreams were different than I have ever recalled, and I am a dreamer. I felt a strong connection to nature which was refreshing after months of intense study. Further to the synchronicity the room I stayed in had an old spinning wheel in it which was exciting for me as I am developing a documentary on textiles produced from hand spun fabrics. This family has lineage as very skilled weavers. When I drove home I felt elated and allowed myself to fully relax and rejuvenate before jumping back into my hectic schedule.

There once was a time when people lived in harmony with nature, when communities coexisted without causing destruction to the environment. These people looked up and had a vision that reached beyond the sky. Our leaders today look down and squabble over breadcrumbs in comparison. I am feeling refreshed after listening to stories that have been preserved over thousands of years. I am feeling refreshed to remember that life is beyond what we produce and what we acquire.

Forgotten Dreams

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I find it ironic that my last post was referencing Bjork’s ‘Crystalline’ then the next film I watched was Werner Hertzog’s ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’. In this theatrically released 3D documentary we are taken into the pristine Chauvet cave in France and explore the earliest and most well preserved cave drawings dating back 30,000 years. In this cinematic journey into the cave we see a sparkling layer of calcite crystals covering the cave’s inner surfaces and as I watched the film, enjoying the ambient soundtrack scored by Ernst Reijseger, I couldn’t help but feel the symmetry between the content of the film and the content from my last post.

I enjoy Hertzog’s storytelling and the subject is beautiful. When I was in high school I read the ‘Clan of the Cave Bear’ series by Jean Auel which I found magical and inspiring. The drawings in Chauvet are from the same period that the book is set in which helped evoke my imagination. There was a shot that was especially impressive that I couldn’t figure out how it was taken; it followed a river then went under a naturally formed arch then immediately turned around and went back. It couldn’t have been taken by helicopter because the helicopter wouldn’t have made it through the arch. They reveal how they cleverly did the shot at the end. There is an epilogue to the film which I found pertinent to the times we live in focusing on the environmental effects from the Nuclear Power plants that are situated in the vicinity of the Caves.

The images in this film are striking and as they were filmed in 3D it really brought the images to life. You could experience details of amazingly skilled drawings that would have been lost on a flat screen. There was a drawing of a bison with 8 legs and it looked like it was running. Hertzog claims that it was a proto-cinema which indeed it did feel like; the inspiration and expression found in this cave blew me away. I feel like this was the birth place of art and film history.

If you watch this film and let yourself go it is somewhat magical and giving that the topic of her track ‘Crystalline’ I think Bjork would get a lot out of watching it too. Another irony is that I have had several dreams through out the years in which I was connected to a community that lived in caves. We all had an area in the cave in which we displayed our art or shared our skill, my area of the cave was beside Bjork’s. That was one of my forgotten dreams. I find this amusing as my last blog post ‘Crystalline Clarity’ was spontaneous and I posted it without giving it too much thought. And then I watched ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’ and felt an awakening into my subconscious on many levels.

Crystalline Clarity

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Again I am tickled by Bjork, she just released a stellar track about crystals. Perhaps as I have been working a lot lately on computers and in dark studios I have been drawn to wearing gemstones and have been admiring the crystals we have in our home. They are just ever so cool and make me feel more connected to the earth while I am so in my head with my work.

It also reminds me of a ‘jem’ from my childhood: does anyone remember this?

Breaking down Bjork’s lyrics is always a mind expanding process. Here are a few verses:

***

Underneath our feet
Crystals grow like plants
(Listen how they grow)
I’m blinded by the lights
(Listen how they grow)
In the core of the earth
(Listen how they grow)

Crystalline
Internal Nebula
(Crystalline)
Rocks growing slowmo
(Crystalline)
I conquer claustrophobia
(Crystalline)
And demand the light.

***

Enjoy the video, directed by one of my favorites, Michael Gondry.

And if you are into interactive websites and iPads check out her new interactive 3D website: http://bjork.com/

July High

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As we are graced with 15 hours of daylight this time of year in the Pacific North West, festival season is in full swing.  Vancouver is a city that harbors whimsical summer fun and I am feeling ever so grateful to live here.  Happy 125th birthday Vancouver.  I am riding the high from being surrounded by inspiring music, films, and people in a city that you can swim in the ocean and climb a mountain, hike pristine forests, and eat amazing organic food all in the same day.

One of the films that impressed me the most this month was Mike Mill’s ‘Beginners’.  Ewan McGregor and Mélanie Laurent rocked the screen in a well told story with enough subtle humor to have kept me giggling throughout the film while striking enough of an emotional cord, a necessary element for me to give a film praise.  Sweet story, sweet film making.  I especially was impressed that the dogs thoughts were subtitled.  I really loved this film.

‘Submarine’ by Richard Ayoade is a coming of age film humorously presented with depth, whit and enough of a twist that I loved as well.

Wishing you summer bliss and creative fulfillment.

Flashes of Light

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This year during Summer Solstice I was immersed in a week of filming short films.  That week was a culmination of projects and busyness that climaxed with the production of the short film that I wrote and directed.  I am editing it now, can’t wait to show it to you, it was a lot of fun to produce.  I had to rely on my inner light and a lot of matcha to get through that intense week that started at the end of another intense and busy week.  ‘Bend‘ starring Cassandra Sanders, Micky Overman, and Jennie Graham.

My favorite film from the past month was Woody Allen’s ‘Midnight in Paris‘.  I am amazed at his ability to express the truth that ‘life is suffering’ with such humor.  Owen Wilson and Woody Allen are a great combination.  Check it out, in all of it’s absurdity that only Allen could pull off so coherently.

I have to give an honorable mention to Terrence Malick’s new film ‘Tree of Life‘ that was produced and starred in by Brad Pitt.  This film is more of an experimental piece rather than your typical Hollywood flick with a focus on exploring our inner world delving into spiritual exploration again covering topics from the 4 Noble Truths that ‘life is suffering’ and ‘the origin of suffering is attachment’.  I am not sure this one will do so well at the box office though I think it deserves recognition.

My schedule is a little less busy for the next week or two, only slightly so.  In my spare moments you will find me skating in the sun or on a yoga mat recalibrating my frequencies to calm focused bliss.

Sumitra’s Movie Picks for May 2011

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This month I watched a movie that I thought was remarkable. Incendies was written and directed by Montreal based Denis Villeneuve. The story is cleverly structured as well as original and the cinematography is stunning. I highly recommend this film which I saw at the now permanently closed Hollywood theatre in Kitsilano. The film opens with a Radiohead’s “You and Who’s Army” and beautiful cinematography which instantly drew me in.

Another film worthy of mention is Iñárritu’s Biutiful. I liked the narrative of his film Babel and was not disappointed by this work that successfully represented the metaphysical as well as social underdogs, this film has depth.  The photography of this film was beautiful which helps to guide you into the emotional world of the actors.  It was mostly shot hand held and motivated by what the actor was focusing on with a filmic look to the shots. Lighting was unique and also enhanced the mood of this film. After watching the Director’s commentary I loved it even more, many of the actors in the film were not professional and benefited from the opportunity. I am convinced that Javier Bardem is an actor with great skill, I was relieved to see him in a role other than the creepy serial killer he portrayed in No Country for Old men.

I also have to mention Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay which is an intense film that portrays the realities of street children living in Bombay.  She took actual street children under her wing and housed and trained them to act in the film.  Most of the children in this films lives were improved from the experience.  The first time I watched it was in a group screening and most people found it such an intense film though perhaps as I was just in Bombay and read Shantaram while I was there I was prepared for what would be seen.  Regardless, this film was very well done with all of the elements that make a great film, decades before Slumdog Millionaire.

Let me know if you have seen any great independent films or if you have seen these films please share what your impressions were.

Sweet Retreat

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As we shift from Winter to Spring in the Pacific North West I am now established into a year long intensive film production program at Vancouver Film School. After coming back from India in February I started to have a strong urge to cultivate more skill and refine my craft. I have immensely enjoyed editing video the past four years and the collaborative process has definitely been rewarding.

I am glad I listened to my gut as the past three weeks have been amazing in that I have learned, laughed and pushed myself to go beyond my comfort zone. I am definitely feeling that I have made the right choice. Last night in my dream I was breaking down a script and then directing it. I have always considered myself as a visionary and a story teller and have finally put myself into an environment in which to hone these skills. By being in an intensive you can really live and breathe what you are doing and the process absorbs into your subconscious quickly!

As this is an intensive program, I am often in class for 11 hours in one day and am taking 10 courses this term, I am not spending as much time with my friends or going to as many events as I did before. I appreciate the support that I have been getting from my community and friends, I truly am blessed. To everyone supporting me in whatever way, I appreciate it more than you know.

snowing blossoms