Do we really know what time it is? CERN physicist Professor Brian Cox (and author of E=mc2) unlocks the secrets of time in this entertaining and informative program. His journey starts with the Sun, our historical dictator of time, but Brian discovers that the world doesn’t always spin like clockwork – in fact, it flutters, like an irregular heartbeat. In his search for a more reliable way to tell the time, he experiences the physical definition of a second with a cesium atomic clock, then jets across the Atlantic to discover that time can speed up or slow down depending on how near an object is to a strong gravitational field. Still looking for answers, he consults modern ideas like string theory and quantum mechanics that are pointing the way to future breakthroughs. Time dictates what we do, when and for how long. In What Time Is It?, Brian Cox deepens our understanding of time while stirring the depths of our imagination.
 
 
 
 

If you are interested in What Time Is It?, you may also be interested in:
Darwin: The Life and The Legacy
What Darwin Didn’t Know
 

“I can think of no one, Stephen Hawking included, who more perfectly combines authority, knowledge, passion, clarity and powers of elucidation than Brian Cox. If you really want to know how Big Science works… and why it matters to each of us in the smallest way, then be entertained by this dazzlingly enthusiastic man. Can someone this charming really be a professor?”
– Stephen Fry
 
 

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Grade Level: Grades 10-12, College and University
Subjects: Science, Philosophy
Copyright: © 2009 BBC Active. All rights reserved.
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 50 minutes.
Catalog Number: ALV-DV-48
Educational Price:
 
Educational with Public Performance Rights: $289.00
 
 
 
Educational without Public Performance Rights: $149.00
 
 
 

For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!
 

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Review from the National Science Teachers Association
Recommended!

This 50-minute DVD features Professor Brian Cox attempting to answer the question “What Time Is It?” It succeeds in raising many more questions than it answers, using excellent photography, visuals, diagrams, and narratives. Slow-motion photography is used for added emphasis.

The DVD begins with the Mayan civilization and its concept of time—especially interesting in light of the 2012 nonsense in current circulation! The narrator discusses calendars, the construction of pyramids (four sides of 91 steps = 364 plus one step to the top = 365). From the Big Bang theory to “String” theory, the beginning of the universe is discussed. Einstein’s work with space and time, a sprinkling of quantum mechanics, methods of keeping accurate and universal time, and many more topics are discussed in an easy-to-follow sequence.

A good teacher could use this DVD in a variety of curricula (physics, astronomy, philosophy of science, and so forth) or for enrichment at the upper high school levels. Introductory college courses and AP high school courses may also benefit from its use. An added positive dimension is that it shows men and women scientists at work, while avoiding typical stereotypes. In addition to the ample and up-to-date (for now) science content, the scientific process and the nature of science could easily be the main focus and reason to use this disc.

Honoring the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s revolutionary, Origin of Species, this BBC special confirms how the advance of science has exonerated Darwin’s theory of evolution. Challenged by his peers such as Richard Owen, and criticized by skeptics, such as Fleeming Jenkin, Darwin acknowledged the inconsistencies in his initial theory. He appealed to future generations to draw inspiration from his findings and to solve the challenges with which his controversial theory was riddled. Scientists such as August Vicemon, Gregor Mendel, Ronald Fisher, Bill Hamilton and Ernst Haeckeland used Darwin’s theory to give us new scientific fields, tools and understanding of the natural world. What Darwin Didn’t Know will provide students with an historical understanding of Darwin’s world and his legacy to future scientists who embraced Darwin’s heretical ideas to give us modern science.

If you are interested in What Darwin Didn’t Know, you may also be interested in:
Darwin: The Life and The Legacy
What Time Is It?

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Grade Level: Grades 10-12, College and University
Subjects: Science, Philosophy
Copyright: © 2009 BBC Active. All rights reserved.
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 90 minutes
Catalog Number: ALV-DV-47

Educational Price:
Educational with Public Performance Rights: $289.00
 
 
 
Educational without Public Performance Rights: $149.00
 
 
 
For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!

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Review from the National Science Teachers Association
Recommended!

This engaging DVD, which is divided into multiple parts, starts historically, beginning from pre-Darwinian ideas on evolutionary thought. Nice black-and-white clips from late 19th century/early 20th century theorists enhance the production and educational value. Throughout this historical segment, various theories, controversies, and concepts are introduced, establishing the scientific environment of debate and disagreement present in all scientific activity.

The main part of the DVD focuses on certain now-established theories that were part of the very fuel of some of the debates that started with Darwin—aspects of science that Darwin could not have known. These focus around topics such as genetic theory and DNA and the passing of traits and mutations. A focus of this video, making it especially relevant for classroom use, is Darwin’s focus on questions about what might be wrong or might have to be further established regarding his theory. These questions were to become the fuel for future research and development and show the honesty of Darwin and the frailty of his initial theories.

The production is bright, colorful, and dynamic, moving freely between computer-generated/enhanced imagery and historical images. The pace is comfortable and engaging and would be a wonderful complement to a class on this subject. However, at 90 minutes, it’s a bit long for one in-class presentation. But, as the video is divided into parts, to show it over a number of class periods would not be an issue and would allow ample time for discussions throughout.

http://www.nsta.org/recommends/ViewProduct.aspx?ProductID=19741

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This documentary examines the 150 years since Darwin wrote the book, On the Origin of Species. When this revolutionary work was published, critics of Darwin’s theory cited lack of sufficient evidence and inconsistencies in his original theory. In the intervening years since its publication, discoveries by scientists have helped to prove the validity of Darwin’s theory of evolution and provide answers to the questions he initially posed. Professor Armand Leroi, Evolutionary Developmental Biologist at Imperial College London, narrates some of the advances in the field of science, such as DNA and genetics, which assisted scientists in proving the accuracies of Darwin’s evolutionary theory. This documentary provides historical coverage of Darwin’s theory from its inception to the present, with an overview of the discoveries that have, and continue to, prove Darwin’s theory of evolution.

The video, audio and editing qualities are excellent. Scenery augments the information provided, as well as the addition of species footage which support the information supplied by Professor Leroi.

This documentary would be a useful addition for college and university library collections, and high schools where deemed appropriate. Recommended.

-Educational Media Reviews Online

Part one this BBC portrait of Charles Darwin focuses on his early life and influences tracing his maturation as a naturalist from his birth in Shrewsbury, England to the publication of his key work the Origin of Species. To provide a contextual base for Darwin’s revolutionary ideas, the program examines his key influences including Thomas Malthus and Robert Edmund Grant as well as his life changing experience as the ship naturalist on the HMS Beagle. Featuring Darwin Biographers Janet Browne, James Moore, and Adrian Desmond as well as noted scholar Robert M. Young, the program will provide students with the personal and historic background key to understanding the work and life of Darwin.

Part two of this BBC portrait of Charles Darwin focuses on the legacy of his theories on evolution and the implications of his writings. Using Natural Selection as a starting point, the program explores the often contentious implications of Darwin’s work including: Eugenics, Group Selection, Sociobiology, Evolutionary Psychology and Coevolution. While Darwin’s theories are central to these ideas, they each provide a basis of discourse on the far-reaching implications of what evolutionary thought can teach us about human nature. Featuring scholars Richard Dawkins (Oxford University), Adrian Desmond (University College, London), Robert Trivers (Rutgers Univerity), Edward O. Wilson (Harvard University), Stuart Kauffman (Santa Fe Institute), and others, the program provides an academic primer for discussions on the implications of Darwin’s still controversial work.

If you are interested in Darwin: The Life and the Legacy, you may also be interested in:
What Darwin Didn’t Know
What Time Is It?

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Grade Level: Grades 10-12, College and University
Subjects: Science, Philosophy
Copyright: © 2009 Alive Mind Education. All rights reserved.
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 100 minutes
Catalog Number: ALV-DV-46
Educational Price: (includes Public Performance Rights)

$289.00 (with PPR)

 
 
$149 (without PPR)

For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!

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Robert Frank’s The Americans (1958) transformed the landscape of contemporary photography. An exile from Europe, Frank criss-crossed the United States with his camera, searching for the uncomfortable truths of his adopted home. The resulting book was the defining work of photographic art in the 20th century. Fifty years later, French director Philippe Séclier decided to follow in his footsteps, retracing his path step by step. He explores the spirit of the “Beat Generation” by examining the impact of Frank’s book, not only on the art of photography, but also on American culture. He tracks down the subjects of the photos, while also eliciting thoughts and comments from painter Ed Ruscha, photographer Raymond Depardon, and a series of leading historians and curators. From Texas to Montana, from Nebraska to Louisiana, from New York to San Francisco, An American Journey is a 15,000 mile odyssey through contemporary America, moving between past and present, photography and cinema - beautifully capturing the wandering spirit of Robert Frank’s legendary journey.

“Mr. Séclier’s subject is a book that inspires as much passion in some circles as any religious tract.”
-The New York Times

“CRITICS’ PICK! Says something profound about the way art can both reflect and shape its world.”
– Miranda Siegel, New York Magazine

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An American Journey Product Information

Grade Level: College and University
Subjects: Art, Photography
Copyright: © Alive Mind Education 2009
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 60 minutes
Educational Prices:

 
Educational with Public Performance Rights: $249.00
 
 

Educational without Public Performance Rights: $129.00
 
 

Note: Please contact info@alivemindeducation.com or call us at 800-562-3330 if you need further assistance.

 
 
 

For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!

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A pivotal point has been reached in human history, a moment when it is possible for humanity to inhabit an age of unity and harmony. On the surface, this seems an improbable idea. Society’s difficulties, such as materialism, terrorism, addiction and corruption have appeared insoluble. Attempts to resolve these issues through political, psychological and religious remedies have consistently failed. There are those, however, who offer a very different solution. To mystics, all problems are in reality one problem – a loss of connection with the infinite source that sustains us all. The solution is simple: reconnect. In this groundbreaking film, contemporary mystics share their common vision of that essence, and invite us to see beyond our illusionary separateness. If we do, they say, there is no problem we cannot solve. With One Voice is the stunning visualization of this invitation to unity and peace that could transform all social interaction throughout the world.

Featuring Swami Karunananda, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, A. Hameed Ali (A.H. Almaas), Ajahn Amaro, Rabbi David A. Cooper, Dr. Mohammad Faghfoory, Sheikha Fariha al Jerrahi, Gangaji, Joseph Goldstein, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Joan Halifax Roshi, Father Thomas Keating, Derek Lin, Wayne Liquourman (Ram Tzu), John Daido Loori (Roshi), Marcelle Martin, John P. Milton, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, Grandmother Lillian Pitawanakwat, Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Dr. Malidoma Patrice Somé, and Brother David Steindl-Rast.

Includes ‘Seven Concentric Circles’ interview bonus footage.
 
 
 
 

 

2009 Telly Award Winner
Best Overall Documentary
Best Spiritual/Religious Documentary
 

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With One Voice Product Information
 
Grade Level: College and University
Subjects: Culture, Spirituality, Religion
Copyright: © 2009 Lorber HT Digital.
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 78 minutes

Educational Prices:
 
Educational with Public Performance Rights: $249.00
 
 
Educational without Public Performance Rights: $129.00
 
 
 
To download a free PDF copy of the discussion guide (5.5 MB), please click here.
 
Note: If you are unable to pay via PayPal, please contact info@alivemindeducation.com or call us at 212-398-3112 to order this title.

For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!
 

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Vision
by With One Voice producer Matt Flickstein

One moment, outside of time, and my life changed forever. No apparent cause for the experience. There was just a direct realization that I was not my body or my mind. Who I truly was had never been born and would never die. Since that time, thirty-three years ago, this intuitive understanding has never left my consciousness.

Life as I had known it fell apart. I could not eat, I cried continuously, and my body shook for days on end. I thought I was going to die. Every unskillful action I had committed in my life came to the fore of my mind along with the compulsion to make amends.

I was never a religious person, but this experience had me thinking that perhaps I had heard the voice of God. I began a search to find out what had actually occurred to so drastically change my perspective on life. I visited with spiritual leaders from many of the world’s religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sufism, Shamanism, and Buddhism.

There were no answers until I met Bhante Gunaratana, a Buddhist monk from the Theravada Buddhist tradition. He told me that the reason I was not finding the answers to my quest was because I was looking in the wrong direction. He said that the answers did not lie in books, no matter how holy they were purported to be, nor could they be provided by teachers, since they would only be reflecting their own inner experiences. What Bhante could provide, however, were instructions for accessing the answers that lie within my own heart. Thus began my experience with meditation.

Over the years I have studied with numerous teachers and have practiced meditation techniques, contemplations, and spiritual disciplines associated with many spiritual paths. What I discovered was that at the core of all religions and spiritual paths, there is only one unifying truth: one Ultimate Reality that unites us all. In 2006, I awoke with the idea of creating a documentary to bring this life-affirming message of hope to the world. After two and one-half years of interviewing renowned mystics from the world’s great sacred traditions, this vision has come to fruition with the production of With One Voice.

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With One Voice is a well-organized interview montage bringing together the compelling and eloquent voices of a number of the world’s great living mystics – individuals of various spiritual traditions who believe that we all share a common connection to a single divine power, regardless of religion. These mystics have each come to the same conclusion that the path to peace, love, and the meaning of life and spiritual awakening is the same path, which is searching inside our deep inner selves in introspective meditation—and that the divine power that connects all humanity is within us rather than outside of us. They also agree that all spiritual traditions may offer guidance on this path, because they each originated from the same inner divine power.

The interviews are highly edited and flow fairly seamlessly, and the audio and video qualities are excellent. The film is organized into chapters, each focusing closely on a theme:

* Personal Mystical Experiences
* Religious Intolerance
* The Essence of Love
* Spiritual Transformation
* The Mystical Perspective
* The Way to Peace
* The Many Paths to Truth
* Messages to the World

The film may be considered a response to both the rising movements of religious fundamentalism and religious warfare, as well as anti-religious sentiments, atheism and apathy. With One Voice is highly recommended for public libraries and general audiences, especially of older generations. Viewers of younger generations may not be as engaged considering that all of the mystics are generally beyond middle-age; however, there is a decent mix of both men and women mystics. This film is also a valuable contribution to academic library media collections supporting spiritual and religious studies, as well as philosophy and multicultural studies.

-Educational Media Reviews Online

In this provocative and perceptive portrait of teenage angst and nascent sexuality, a love triangle develops between three girls one summer in Paris. Marie, Anne and Floriane, all 15 years old, cross paths in the corridors at the local swimming pool, and love and desire make a sudden and dramatic appearance. The awkward Anne, the bad girl Floriane and the gawky Marie play an intense game of emotional chess as they wrestle with love, friendship and their desire for one another.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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Water Lilies Product Information
 

Reviews

“absorbing…a tender look at coming of age”
- Los Angeles Times

“…the heartbreak of Lolita and the intrigue of American Beauty…”
- GO Magazine

A true story, 18 year old Violette Nozière (brilliantly played here by Isabelle Huppert, 12-time César Award nominee for Best Actress) was condemned to death for patricide and attempted matricide in the 1930s, ostensibly to gain access to her parents’ meager assets in order to support her good-for-nothing lover. During the trial she alludes to incest committed by her father and accuses her mother of tacit consent. She also claimed that her real father, a wealthy and powerful man, refuses to acknowledge her because she was born out of wedlock. Violette offers a chilling portrait of French society and sexual morals in the early 20th century.
 

 

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Violette Product Information
 
Grade Level: College and University
Subjects: Women’s Studies
Copyright: © 1978 CineVideo. All rights reserved.
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 123 minutes
UPC Number: 7-41952-31039-6
Catalog Number: KLF-DV-3103
ISBN Number: 1-4172-0119-3
Educational Prices: (includes Public Performance Rights)
 

• College / University: $249.00


 

• Library / High School: $129.00


 
Note: If you are unable to pay via PayPal, please contact info@alivemindeducation.com or call us at 212-398-3112 to order this title.

For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!

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Additional Information
 

• Full Reviews
• Cast & Credits

 

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Reviews & Awards

Best Actress
Isabelle Huppert
1978 Cannes Film Festival

Best Supporting Actress
Stéphane Audran
1978 French Academy of Cinema

“utterly unforgettable…a triumph for Chabrol…the best film he has yet made”
-The New York Times

Narrated by Leonard Cohen, this two-part series explores ancient teachings on death and dying and boldly visualizes the afterlife according to Tibetan philosophy. A Way of Life documents the book’s acceptance and use in Europe and North America. Included is remarkable footage of the rites and liturgies surrounding and following the death of a Ladakhi elder as well as the views of the Dalai Lama on life and death. The Great Liberation observes an old Buddhist lama and a 13-year-old novice monk as they guide a deceased person into the afterlife. The passage of the soul is visualized with animation blended into actual location shooting. An additional short documentary, The Trap, explores Buddhist concepts of mutual respect, tolerance and cycles in the daily life of a North Atlantic fishing village.
 
 
 
 

 

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Tibetan Book of the Dead Product Information
 
Grade Level: College and University
Subjects: Religion & Spirituality, Eastern Teachings & Thought
Copyright: © 1994 National Film Board of Canada. All Rights Reserved.
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 90 minutes with 20 minutes bonus footage

Educational Prices:
Educational with Public Performance Rights: $249.00
 
 
Educational without Public Performance Rights: $129.00
 
 
 

Note: If you are unable to pay via PayPal, please contact info@alivemindeducation.com or call us at 212-398-3112 to order this title.

For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!

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In a wooded glade somewhere near San Francisco, The Workshop challenges the rules of modern society by pushing all boundaries of normal convention - especially the sexual ones! A group of people agree to take part in a 10-day ‘workshop’ led by spiritual leader Paul Lowe in their search for a higher personal truth. On day one they are told to introduce themselves and meet everyone else - completely naked! Searing emotional honesty, full nudity, experiments and sexuality and the exorcising of inner demons are the hallmarks of this groundbreaking and provocative documentary.

 
 

 

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The Workshop Product Information
 
Grade Level: College and University
Subjects: Anthropology, Gender and Sexuality, Religion and Spirituality, Sociology
Copyright: © 2007 The Salt Company (International) Ltd. All rights reserved.
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 93 minutes
Educational Prices:

 
Educational with Public Performance Rights: $249.00
 
 

Educational without Public Performance Rights: $129.00
 
 

Note: Please contact info@alivemindeducation.com or call us at 800-562-3330 if you need further assistance.

 
 
 

Reviews

Feeling restless and unsatisfied, British photographer Jamie Morgan journeys to the San Francisco Bay Area to attend 72-year-old Paul Lowe’s “radical self-help workshop,” a 10-day sex-oriented retreat. Morgan interviews other attendees and openly films group therapy sessions and even an orgy, which begs the obvious question of whether the participants are simply indifferent, narcissistic, or genuinely hopeful that viewers will learn something from their journey of self-discovery (interestingly, several are British citizens or expatriates, like Morgan and Lowe). Not only do the interviewees confess their innermost thoughts on camera, they’re also naked much of the time, which is part of Lowe’s process, since it renders everyone equal—at least in the strictly materialistic sense. In short order, the bashful become downright exhibitionistic, rendering the documentary quasi-pornographic (including the aforementioned orgy scenes), although nudity isn’t always a prelude to sexual activity. Lowe also believes that “monogamy is not natural,” and a few of the married (or otherwise attached) participants put that assertion to the test here, including the guru’s son-in-law. Narcissistic or not, the breakthroughs experienced by some of the participants seem real enough, although Morgan neglects to disclose how much individuals paid for the privilege. Recommended for academic human sexuality studies, this is also a strong optional purchase for more adventurous public library collections. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)
-Video Librarian Review September/October 2009

“One of the most talked about films at the [2007] Tribeca Film Festival
…an extraordinarily frank and thought-provoking sexual odyssey which,
with the right exposure and a healthy pinch of salt, could be a zeitgeist,
talking-point film along the lines of What the Bleep Do We Know or Shortbus.”
-Mike Goodridge, Screen International

“The breakdown of convention is a wild ride, as Morgan chronicles love
triangles, couples struggling with monogamy and a gay man having sex with
a woman for the first time-all on camera. Jealousy, both emotional and physical,
erupts within the flock. It’s an amusing and emotional adventure in sex, love,
betrayal, fear and joy until the workshop ends.”
- Aaron Krach, Tribeca Film

Albert Maysles and his brother David (who died in 1987), who are best known for such films as Salesman, Grey Gardens, Gimme Shelter, began filming THE GATES in 1979, when internationally acclaimed artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude began actively pushing their installation project forward with the New York City government. The Maysles captured the emerging controversy at community board hearings that pitted neighbor against neighbor over the appropriate use of Central Park. While Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s artistic vision sought to unite all of New York City, the public reaction was accusations of publicly financed defacement of a masterpiece, akin to putting a mustache on the Mona Lisa at tax payers’ expense. The proposal was denied. Twenty-four years later, after 9/11 and the election of art patron Michael Bloomberg as mayor, the project was approved in January, 2003. The subsequent film, brought to fruition by Antonio Ferrera and co-directed with Albert Maysles, chronicles the evolution of The Gates from concept to installation, ultimately overcoming public disapproval and transforming Central Park into a visual symphony of color, light, joy and beauty at an eventual cost to Christo and Jeanne-Claude of $21 million. The event, which brought over 4 million visitors from around the world to Central Park in mid-winter, is lovingly captured in this masterful film which ultimately asks the question: What is the role of art today?

Alive Mind Education is very proud to announce that The Gates
was listed as one of Video Librarian’s Best Documentaries of 2009!
 
Alive Mind Education remembers the life of Jeanne-Claude, who passed away on November 18, 2009.
 


 

THE GATES Product Information

Year: 2008
Grade Level: Grades 10-12, college and university
Subjects: Arts, Architectural Studies
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 98 minutes
ISBN-10: 0-9820814-6-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-9820814-6-4
Educational Prices:

Educational with Public Performance Rights: $249.00
 
 
 

Educational without Public Performance Rights: $129.00
 
 
 

Note: If you are unable to pay via PayPal, please contact info@alivemindeducation.com or call us at 212-398-3112 to order this title.

For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!
 

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Additional Information
 

• Filmmaker Biographies
• Featured Reviews
• Photo Gallery
• Credits

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Reviews

 

“I can’t imagine a better choice for the closing-night film of the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival…
a stunning, beautiful, deeply moving documentary about the art project by installation artists
Christo and Jeanne-Claude.”
- MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher, May 2007
 

“Ferrara and Maysles orchestrate the construction, installation and deployment of the gates as a
three-part symphony, ending with a two-week improvisational interlude, as hundreds of thousands
of New Yorkers flock to the park in February. As the mega-artwork is transformed by snow, sunsets
and streams of people, the brightly colored 23 miles of pathways transform the wintry landscape
into a fantastical garden of dancing cloth.”
- Ronnie Scheib, Daily Variety, May 2007