Upcoming Releases Summer 2009

Griefwalker GRIEFWALKER is an extraordinary portrait of Harvard-trained theologian Stephen Jenkinson who argues that death empowers us to live and that we must experience grief in order to appreciate our own lives. Many may find Jenkinson’s belief that our deaths are not something to be denied or avoided but “befriended” as disturbing; he points out that not every culture fears death as we do. The film transports viewers into the lives of those confronting death, as well as those whose job it is to delay death as long as possible. Combining beautiful imagery of the impermanence of nature, and the actuality of dying, GRIEFWALKER weaves an illuminating picture of a remarkable man, and leaves us with a deeper understanding of how our deaths should be held as “a prized possession.” Year: 2008 Running Time: 70 minutes Subjects: Religion and Spirituality, Death and Dying To pre-order any of our upcoming releases, contact Andi at andi@lorberhtdigital.com or call us at 212-398-3112.

Son of Man In the state of Judea in southern Africa, violence, poverty and sectarianism are endemic. The neighbouring Alliance has invaded to restore ‘peace’ at gunpoint. Bloody street battles accompany the neighbouring dictatorship’s incursion into its weaker satellite. Promises of a transition to open democratic rule accompany summary executions and brutal massacres. As the civil war reaches a new level, a divine child is born to a lowly couple. As he grows and witnesses the inhumanity of the world he lives in, his angelic guardians offer him an escape to the heavens. He refuses. This is his world and he must try to save it from the work of evil men and from the darkness working through them. As an adult, he travels to the capital, gathering followers from the armed factions of rebels that crisscross the land. He demands that his followers give up their guns and confront their corrupt rulers with a vision of non-violent protest and solidarity. Inevitably, he attracts the attention of the Judean tribal leaders who have struck a power-sharing deal with the aloof Governor Pilate. The Son of Man must be brought down and destroyed. It should be another simple ‘disappearance’ like any other… Year: 2005 Running Time: 90 minutes + DVD Extras Subjects: Religion and Spirituality, Performance Studies To learn more about this film, click here. To pre-order any of our upcoming releases, contact Andi at andi@lorberhtdigital.com or call us at 212-398-3112.

NOLLYWOOD BABYLON chronicles the wild world of “Nollywood,” a term coined in the early ’90s to describe the world’s fastest-growing national cinema, surpassed only by its Indian counterpart. The film delves first-hand into Nigeria’s explosive homegrown movie industry, where Jesus and voodoo vie for screen time. Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, known in Lagos as “Da Governor,” is one of the most influential men in Nollywood. Undeterred by miniscule budgets, Da Governor is one of a cadre of resourceful filmmakers creating a garish, imaginative, and wildly popular form of B-movie that has frenzied fans begging for more. Among the bustling stalls of Lagos’s Idumato market, films are sold, and budding stars are born. Creating stories that explore the growing battle between traditional mysticism and modern culture, good versus evil, witchcraft and Christianity, Nollywood auteurs have mastered a down-and-dirty, straight-to-video production formula that has become the industry standard in a country plagued by poverty. This burgeoning Nigerian film industry is tapping a national identity where proud Africans are telling their own stories to a public hungry to see their lives on screen. Peppered with outrageously juicy movie clips and buoyed by a rousing score fusing Afropop and traditional sounds, NOLLYWOOD BABYLON celebrates the distinctive power of Nigerian cinema as it marvels in the magic of movies.

Year: 2008
Running Time: TBA
Subjects: Arts, Culture, Cinema Studies, International Studies

To learn more about this film, click here.
To pre-order any of our upcoming releases, contact Andi at andi@lorberhtdigital.com or call us at 212-398-3112.

Dear Alive Mind Education Friends, In recognition of end-of-year budgets, Alive Mind Education will honor all current promotions through August 15th. If you place an order for any of the combinations below by June 15th, we will invoice you for the respective amount but you won’t have to pay until August 15th. Make sure you take advantage of this exclusive opportunity while it lasts. All purchases grant public performance rights.To receive the discount, please submit your purchase order to Andi Dervishi at andi@lorberdigital.com. Best regards, Elizabeth

*Special Shakespeare Promotion* Purchase both Macbeth and Measure for Measure by June 15 and receive 25% off your purchase order, plus free shipping. Macbeth The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Macbeth has been lauded as the finest production of Shakespeare’s Scottish play for over a quarter of a century. In 2000, it played to packed houses in Stratford, London, and theaters abroad. All twenty actors from the original production, including Antony Sher and Harriet Walter, star in this compelling screen version of Gregory Doran’s original stage production. Cleverly reconceived for the camera, and brilliantly shot at London’s Roundhouse, Macbeth was filmed in a gritty style using the edgy techniques of fly-on-the wall documentaries. Doran says, “Macbeth is, in many ways, the most filmic of Shakespeare’s plays with its short, quick-fire scenes and its hurtling, dynamic momentum. In the film I tried to capture its raw energy and dangerous intimacy.” “A harrowing and disturbingly funny parable for the dawn of the 21st century.” -The New York Times “The best television Shakespeare I have ever seen.” -Daily Mail   To learn more about this title, click here.   Measure for Measure Sex and power drive the action of William Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. Set in today’s British army, this is a modern realization of a classic problem play where every character must justify their own private morality in a world bereft of discipline and authority. Critics rave that this contemporary dramatization is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare. “…a great and refreshing adaptation of a very underrated Shakespearian problem play, and Bob Komar should be applauded for taking on the text and giving us a feel for the timeless nature of the Bard’s world.” -Wendy Atwell, Shakespeare Revue “A youthful and raw energy refreshes the Shakespeare problem play into something more digestible for our learners today.” -Janet Armsgrove, All Things Shakespeare “It is perhaps the best learner focused resource for young people on the play I have seen …If only this was the way all Shakespeare was delivered to our youth.” - Ian Devlin, The Bard   To learn more about this title, click here. ____________________________________________

*Special Ibsen Promotion* Purchase both Mabou Mines Dollhouse and Hedda Gabler by June 15 and receive 25% off your purchase order, plus free shipping. Mabou Mines Dollhouse Mabou Mines critically acclaimed interpretation of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House rejuvenates a nineteenth century classic with bold staging and conceptual originality. Ibsen’s Doll’s House has been described as a feminist clarion, Freudian drama and bourgeois soap opera. In Mabou Mines’ re-imagining, the production shocks and enlightens audiences as never before. Includes the companion documentary, Looking for a Miracle, which features extensive interviews with director Lee Breuer and the original cast. Reviews “A Doll’s House still has the force of social truth and the force of art.” -The New York Times “…if you’ve been lucky enough to see the work of Lee Breuer over the years… you know that he’s a wizard-director, an alchemist who blends ideas, genres, styles, texts and technologies to make new kinds of theater…[in Dollhouse] Mr. Breuer gives us a passionate allegory that works - and plays - on many levels.” -The New York Times   To learn more about this title, click here.     Hedda Gabler Set in an anonymous corner of suburbia, this contemporary adaptation of Ibsen’s play is a shattering exploration of ambition, domestic power and gender roles. Just married, Hedda Gabler and her husband arrive at their new home where Hedda’s romantic rival from the past appears. Hedda must confront her desire for a life lived beautifully and without compromise - whatever the cost. This bracing dramatization brings new dimensions to Hedda Gabler’s character.   To learn more about this title, click here.     ____________________________________________

*Special Video Librarian Promotion* Purchase Through the Eastern Gate, Mystical Brain, or FLicKeR individually and receive 10% off your order or purchase two or more of these titles and receive 25% off your order, plus free shipping, now through June 15. Through the Eastern Gate Through the Eastern Gate chronicles the spiritual paths of three young Westerners who have embraced Eastern traditions: Sister Yeshe Chodron’s journey led her from Australia to a life as a Buddhist nun in a Himalayan convent; Ronela Vainio immerses herself in tantric yoga; and Aziz Abbatiello lives as a Sufi dervish in Turkey, where he prays, sings, and spins himself into spiritual ecstasy. This intimate and compelling film delves into the personal practices and challenges of three people who have turned their backs on Western traditions. Features interviews with Venerable Tenzin Palmo, His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin, Sherif Baba, Sheikh Sherif Baba Efendi and Swami Vivekananda Saraswati. “An engaging look at a trio of modern spiritual explorers, this is recommended.” -Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy) Video Librarian, May 2009 ***   To learn more about this film, click here. Mystical Brain Is it possible to shed light on the states of grace experienced by mystics and meditators? Mystical Brain shows us the most recent discoveries of scientific research on this phenomenon in North America and abroad. It seems that mystical ecstasy is a profoundly transformative experience. It could contribute to people’s psychic and bodily health, treat depression and speed up the healing process in patients who combine meditation with conventional medicine. A guided tour of the depths of the human spirit, Mystical Brain is a fascinating documentary that breaks new ground on the intersection of science and spirituality. “A single documentary obviously can’t resolve fundamental questions about the nature of the soul and the Cartesian mind-body dichotomy, but this one does offer a fascinating look at such profound matters without ever becoming either heavy-handed or dismissive. Recommended.” -Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek) ***   To learn more about this film, click here.     FLicKeR This award-winning documentary about poet, artist, calligrapher and mystic Brion Gysin, portrays the life and legacy of an artist who believed art could revolutionize human consciousness. FLicKeR chronicles Gison’s complex ideas, friendships and influence with some of the 20th century’s key counterculture figures, such as William Burroughs, Kurt Corbain and Marianne Faithful. Featuring greats like Burroughs (in archival footage), singer Marianne Faithfull, singer/artist Genesis P-Orridge of Psychic TV, poet John Giorno, punk rocker Iggy Pop, filmmaker Kenneth Anger and artist/turntablist DJ Spooky, FLicKeR is a hypnotic documentary. Taking the dreamachine as the basis of its explorations, FLicKeR asks crucial questions about the nature of art and consciousness, and imagines humanity liberated to explore its creativity in complete freedom. “A single documentary obviously can’t resolve fundamental questions about the nature of the soul and the Cartesian mind-body dichotomy, but this one does offer a fascinating look at such profound matters without ever becoming  either heavy-handed or dismissive.” -Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek) Video Librarian, May 2009 ***   To learn more about this film, click here.

Now Available for Exhibition or Purchase with Public Performance Rights Dollhouse Mabou Mines critically acclaimed interpretation of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House rejuvenates a nineteenth century classic with bold staging and conceptual originality. Ibsen’s Doll’s House has been described as a feminist clarion, Freudian drama and bourgeois soap opera. In Mabou Mines’ re-imagining, the production shocks and enlightens audiences as never before. Includes the companion documentary, Looking for a Miracle, which features extensive interviews with director Lee Breuer and the original cast. “…Mr. Breuer gives us a passionate allegory that works - and plays - on many levels…” - The New York Times

Tibetan Book of the Dead 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. “A marvelous documentary creation. Excellently written, and Cohen’s narration suits the theme beautifully. To seek truth and practice compassion is the meaning and purpose of life. This film demands multiple viewings…highly recommended.” - CM Magazine, The Manitoba Library Association

Son of Man In the state of Judea in southern Africa, violence, poverty and sectarianism are endemic. The neighbouring Alliance has invaded to restore ‘peace’ at gunpoint. Bloody street battles accompany the neighbouring dictatorship’s incursion into its weaker satellite. Promises of a transition to open democratic rule accompany summary executions and brutal massacres. As the civil war reaches a new level, a divine child is born to a lowly couple. As he grows and witnesses the inhumanity of the world he lives in, his angelic guardians offer him an escape to the heavens. He refuses. This is his world and he must try to save it from the work of evil men and from the darkness working through them. As an adult, he travels to the capital, gathering followers from the armed factions of rebels that crisscross the land. He demands that his followers give up their guns and confront their corrupt rulers with a vision of non-violent protest and solidarity. Inevitably, he attracts the attention of the Judean tribal leaders who have struck a power-sharing deal with the aloof Governor Pilate. The Son of Man must be brought down and destroyed. It should be another simple ‘disappearance’ like any other… “It doesn’t strain to draw parallels with world events because it doesn’t have to…extraordinary and powerful.” - Roger Ebert

Fierce Light Gandhi called it “Soul Force,” Dr. King called it “Love in Action,” and now, acclaimed filmmaker Velcrow Ripper is calling it “Fierce Light.” It is a universal power that radiates from every human heart, undeniably hopeful, and full of possibility. It holds us to be uncompromisingly nonviolent and drives us to the pentacle of our spiritual excellence. Fierce Light: When Spirit Meets Action chronicles filmmaker Velcrow Ripper’s journey to document examples of this sacred beacon that shines the brightest at the darkest and most dangerous times. After watching Fierce Light, audiences can find hope in this mass movement founded on the values of compassion, collaboration, and understanding and focuses on what we are trying to accomplish, as opposed to what we are trying to destroy. The film features Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Alice Walker, American Civil Rights Leader John Lewis, Buddhist peace activist and monk Thich Nhat Hanh, actor turned activist Daryl Hannah, and famed tree-sitter Julia Butterfly Hill. “If anyone can find the silver lining in a mushroom cloud, it is this astounding, thoughtful filmmaker.” - National Post

Intangible Asset #82 In her debut film, director Emma Franz captures the creative odyssey of Australian drummer Simon Barker in search of his muse, Korean Shaman Kim Seok-Chul - a Grand Master in his seventies who plays with immense energy and complex technique. After hearing a rare recording of Kim Seok-Chul’s music, Barker knew right away that he was listening to one of the world’s greatest improvisers. So unique, in fact, is the artistry of the Shaman that the Korean Government bestowed upon him the honorary title “Intangible Asset Number 82,” recognizing him as the pre-eminent practitioner, Grand Master and protector of his art form. Intrigued, Barker commits to find and learn from the enigmatic master. Yet Kim Seok-Chul proves elusive, despite the fame accompanying his official honor as being South Korea’s 82nd Intangible Asset.Despite seven years of setbacks and obstacles, and with the Shaman now in his eighties, Barker’s commitment intensifies and he returns to Korea for the seventeenth time. Imbued with a sense of destiny, the journey becomes a rite of passage as Barker experiences life-changing encounters with the engaging and exotic characters who eventually lead him to the Shaman. Intangible Asset Number 82 is a true testimony to the universal language of music and its transformative power. “The story never loses traction because all of the characters are so charismatic and open. I found myself totally captivated by Barker’s journey and Franz’s strong imagery. Her debut film is very impressive, and coming out on DVD! - Ellen Spiro, University of Texas

All of the above films are now available for exhibition or for pre-order with public performance rights. To learn more about a film, read reviews, or pre-order, click here.

Please contact Elizabeth Sheldon if you would like to preview any of these films exhibition or public performance rights inquiries.

After hearing a rare recording of Korean Shaman Kim Seok-Chul’s music, Australian drummer Simon Barker knew right away that he was listening to one of the world’s greatest improvisers. So unique, in fact, is the artistry of the Shaman that the Korean Government bestowed upon him the honorary title “Intangible Asset Number 82,” recognizing him as the pre-eminent practitioner, Grand Master and protector of his art form. Intrigued, Barker commits to find and learn from the enigmatic master. Yet Kim Seok-Chul proves elusive, despite the fame accompanying his official honor as being South Korea’s 82nd Intangible Asset.

Imbued with a sense of destiny, the journey becomes a rite of passage as Barker experiences life-changing encounters with the engaging and exotic characters who eventually lead him to the Shaman. Intangible Asset Number 82 is a true testimony to the universal language of music and its transformative power.
 
 
 
 
“A masterly conceived and filmed documentary, ‘Intangible Asset No. 82′ represents a beautiful balance between an educational document and a moving human drama. Through the personal journey of the Australian drummer Simon Barker — guided by the Korean percussionist and vocalist Kim Dong-Won — audiences are provided a rare window onto the meanings and aesthetics of Korean traditional music. The breathtaking beauty and ethos of Korean instruments and voices is matched by the equally enthralling and heart-breaking funeral experienced at the dramatic conclusion.”

Dr. Nathan Hesselink
University of British Colombia
Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology
Research Associate, Centre for Korean Research

Grade Level: Grades 10-12, College and University
Subjects: Culture, Music
Language: Korean and English, with English Subtitles
Copyright: © 2009 In the Sprocket Productions. All Rights Reserved.
Set: DVD Only
Total Running Time: 90 minutes
ISBN-10: TBA
Educational Prices: (includes Public Performance Rights)
Educational with Public Performance Rights: $249.00
 
 
 
Educational without Public Performance Rights: $129.00
 
 
 

To Pre-Order this title please contact info@alivemindeducation.com or call us at 212-398-3112.

For public exhibition inquiries please contact us for more details!
 

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Video Librarian Review January/February 2010
Rating: 3 out of 4 Stars - Recommended!

Filmmaker Emma Franz’s Intangible Asset No. 82 follows Australian jazz drummer Simon Barker as he searches for elusive percussionist and esteemed hereditary shaman Kim Seok-Chul. For seven years, Barker has traveled to South Korea for inspiration. After a friend introduces Barker to the complex improvisations of Kim Seok-Chul (whose work has received minimal documentation), he decides to find out everything he can about the man, proclaiming Kim “one of the greatest musicians alive”—and later discovering that Korea officially considers him “Intangible Cultural Asset Number 82” (“intangible” because one can’t see his contributions). Barker finally meets Kim Dong-Won, a fellow drummer who offers to introduce him to the grand master. To make the most of their journey, Dong-Won recommends that they drop in on a few folk on the way to Busan, including Jeong Sung-Dok, a woman who became a shaman at the age of eight, and Bae Il-Dong, a pansori singer who tells epic stories through song and who built up his voice by singing next to a waterfall for several years. Simon, Dong-Won, and Il-Dong hit it off so well that they end up performing and recording together. But as they get closer to Kim Seok-Chul’s hometown, Barker learns that the octogenarian is in declining health, and the pilgrimage turns out far different than planned. Recommended.

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Opening with scenes of jazz drumming and promotional blurbs of praise for Australian drummer Simon Barker, this first full-length documentary by Australian jazz singer Emma Franz soon has Barker narrating his deeply personal musical philosophy, beginning with a need to base his own performance on something more ‘regional’ than American jazz traditions. After hearing a recording of Korean drummer Kim Seok-Chul, Barker traveled 5,000 miles north to South Korea and found the sound he sought in performances and teachings of Korean musicians who revered and emulated Kim. During his seventeenth trip to Korea, he was finally granted an audience with the grandmaster himself. This film documents that trip.

Kim had been a lifelong shaman and p’ansori percussionist and a shaman. A p’ansori performance consists of one drummer accompanying one singer of dramatic, epic ballads. Not all p’ansori performers are also shamans, whose ritual ceremonies are held to have great curative and creative power. We learn from drummer and teacher Kim Dong-Won, who took his time deciding to trust Barker’s integrity and respect for Korean culture enough to shepherd him around the country and introduce him to other musician and shamans, that Kim Seok-Chul’s work had been officially designated a cultural ‘intangible asset.’ It was the 82nd such honor to be bestowed by the government-sponsored system begun in the 1960s. Kim Dong-Won now shares the role of film narrator with Barker, allowing us to learn his musical philosophy. How will this East/West encounter develop? Franz keeps us wanting to see what happens next.

A p’ansori singer may produce hard, throat-constricted vocal attacks and hoarse sustained notes that leave audiences concerned for the safety of his or her larynx. Kim Dong-Won introduces Barker to Bae Il-Dong, who demonstrates how he developed his p’ansori voice by shout-singing next to a waterfall for seven years. (One of the amazing revelations of this film is Bae’s gorgeous, smooth speaking voice, so different from his barking p’ansori outbursts; he could recite kimchee recipes in Korean and convince you he is describing mouthwatering honey cakes.) Interaction between Korean standing singers, dancers, or bangers on huge, colorful hanging drums and percussionists playing double-headed barrel drums while seated on the ground is a recurring theme and serves to emphasize how important concentration between two performers is to the essentially improvisatory nature of a satisfactory musical outcome. During a lesson with one musician, Barker repeatedly throws himself on the floor in order to be one with the force of gravity – to learn to ‘relax’ into that special technique Korean drummers have mastered that makes them look like their arms simply drop into the required rhythm of their own accord.

Intercultural trust and respect are so often illustrated that they become major subjects in the program. An older Korean master of p’ansori drumming allows questions from Barker and praises the research the Westerner has obviously done in preparation for the interview. Korean spiritual shamanism is sensitively addressed. A young woman who felt called to be a shaman at age eight is visited and excerpts from various healing ceremonies are shown, preparing viewers for the climactic encounter with old, infirm Kim Seok-Chul, just after his release from a long hospital stay. His family has arranged for a shamanist healing ceremony to be performed at his home. Barker and the Australian film crew have been allowed to witness it. Kim Dong-Won finds this astonishing and is obviously awed by the event. Kim Seok-Chul dies only days afterward and formal expressions of grief ensue, with mourners in traditional white funeral garb expressing both heartfelt outpourings of loss and joyous appreciation for Kim’s gifts.

Koreans and Australians seem equally affected by the musical exchanges documented in this film. Barker’s jazz group, Kim Dong-Won, and Bae perform and record together, with a ‘crossover’ sonic result that moves and motivates them all to pursue the collaboration. Simon Barker speaks of all he has learned from the Koreans – about ‘rough beauty’ and breath and rhythm as a circular, ongoing force. Dong-Won says Simon’s entry into the Korean musical world was ‘destiny’ and that ‘something like brotherhood’ has been achieved.

Both the sound and look of this program allow Korea to remain in focus. We, along with Barker, are visitors who wish to understand and be taught something about a beautiful county’s traditions. Lovely images of natural areas, rice fields, and temples balance scenes of city crowds and instructional interiors. Recordings of Kim Seok-Chul introduce us to the sound that initially captivated Barker, but plenty of other music making is shown, and development of the cross-pollinated jazz-p’ansori merger that ends the film seems appropriately inevitable. We are left wanting more. The musicians in the film have formed a group called Daorum whose work can be sampled on YouTube.

Highly recommended to collections supporting studies in Korean music, percussion, jazz, and general cross-cultural studies.

-Educational Media Reviews Online

Additional Information

• The Main Characters
• Musicians Featured in the Film
• Notes on the Film
• Director’s Statement
• Credits - Coming Soon!