(Change the direction and speed of the balloon with your cursor)

2 FILMMAKERS QUEST

by Gregory and Maria Pearse

 

  The great Russian writer Lev Tolstoy, upon seeing the "new" invention of motion pictures at the turn of the century, was particularly excited by the fact that movement had been captured and could be played over and over again. Tolstoy was very interested in the concept of movement because he understood the human being's need to move in order to grow. His idea of movement, however, had a more profound edge to it. He perceived that man was more than flesh and blood, that there was something deep within us that was of a spiritual nature. (Here it must be noted that the use of the word "spiritual" does NOT mean religious. "Spiritual" relates solely to the existence of the spirit-core deep within each human being. Religion is a man-made institution, not related to the identity of the spirit.) And so true movement is that which animates the spiritual core, or, simply, the spirit of the human being. Seeking, for example, is such a spiritual movement. It is the spirit's striving to awaken (like the unhatched chick trying to break through its shell) and to understand the meaning of its existence, its purpose in life. We seek to feel alive and, ultimately, to find a connection with the Source of All Life.

  On the surface, cinema appears to be the ideal medium for capturing not only external, physical movement, but also internal, spiritual movement. Cinema cannot possibly fulfill its potential unless it succeeds on BOTH these levels. However, as the old saying goes, the camera never lies, meaning that filmmaking is like a spiritual sponge, whereby it soaks up and reveals whatever is or isn't active within those who worked on the film, particularly the director. With this in mind, a quick survey of the history of cinema reveals an astonishingly accomplished usage of film in capturing the physical dimension of life, BUT a shockingly poor usage of film in capturing true spiritual movement or experience, e.g. the director's inward spiritual struggle, longing and striving. 

  There are a few directors, however, who do stand out as exceptions in this regard. Perhaps, the foremost exponent of a spiritually-motivated cinema is the late Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, who said: "I believe that to form a concept of art you first have to face another more important question: why does man exist? We must use our time on earth to improve ourselves spiritually. This means that art must serve this purpose." Each one of Tarkovsky's seven films reveals the spiritual intensity of an earnest seeker of Truth. His film STALKER is a great example of a cinematic Truth Quest. As this film reveals, seeking the Truth is not for the faint-of-heart: it is difficult, frightening and often treacherous, but it must be done. The introspective gravity of the scene where the three main characters are first entering the "Zone" on board a small rail cart perfectly captures the profound seriousness of the great human quest for spiritual knowledge. Tarkovsky's films show us that questioning, probing, seriously examining are the film artist's (and every human being's) most important tools. 

 Years ago, when we first experienced the yearning to make a film, our sole concern was to seek a connection with the Creator. As we took a closer look at the art, music and literature of our time and compared them to the work of times past, we were deeply shaken by the accelerating spiritual degeneration that has been occuring. This degeneration is a profound one, reflecting the dulling of all the senses caused by the inability of our indolent spirits to awaken and take charge. And yet we remained convinced that art still could and should bridge the gulf between here and the beyond. So we studied the work of the Renaissance masters and folk artists as well as the "visionary" cinema of Andrei Tarkovsky, Sergei Paradjanov and a few others. 

 

   As we tried to recreate their creative process (not technically but spiritually), many days went by chronicling images obtained through dreams or intuition...so that the actual creative process was given over to the "guidance from above". It seemed so simple: the artist was a mediator. The greater the purity of artistic volition, the higher the guidance, the more remarkable the images. The age-old debate of talent vs. education seemed almost pointless in terms of what we were experiencing: we did not know how to make a film and yet we were making a film. And not just any kind of film, a different kind of film - a pure record of deep inner experiencing with no words, just music, sounds, images timelessly resonating within the familiar constructs of celluloid, camera, projector. 

  And then the film was done. And eventhough we were grateful for the experience of making it, we still had a void within. During the creative process, we felt that we were connecting to something greater than ourselves. But outside of the creative act, we would lose that connection. What was the nature of that connection then, we wondered, and why could we not maintain it in our everyday lives? We were at a loss as to how to deal with this profound sense of disconnection between our artistic experience and our inner being. It was then that we began to see that art was indeed limited. Art could not transform, it could only point. Time and time again, we read in the personal biographies or confessions of great and famous artists about their failure to overcome their personal delusions and find the true way to the Light. It became increasingly clear that if we did not want to live the rest of our lives running inside the same wheel, we would have to seek another way to connect with the Light. We needed knowledge. We wanted to see the whole picture: the visible and the invisible processes which govern our lives.   

 

 

  Difficult is the path of every earnest seeker. Part-knowledge, quick-and-easy solutions, false teachings leading to self-satisfaction emerge like creatures from the dense dark undergrowth to greet one at every turn. But this is the swamp that now must be overcome by many a serious seeker in order to get to the True Knowledge of Creation. Like the knight on the quest for the Holy Grail, the seeker will eventually come to an obstacle that seems insurmountable. How one deals with this impass will make all the difference. In a film we made several years ago, Return to Life, such an event is depicted when the main character, seeing no way out, holds a gun to his head. An extended sequence follows where he is taken away from this impass and is shown a new life's course devoted to beauty, if he chooses to continue his quest on earth. He returns to the moment of decision, gives up his gun and proceeds onwards with his new life. 

  

  In the intense longing for true meaning in life, there lies a great event waiting to happen for each genuine seeker. After many years of looking for answers to life's unanswered questions, we finally came across a source of Knowledge so powerful that the impass in our own lives soon gave way to a breathtaking new beginning. This special source is the book “In the Light of Truth: the Grail Message” by Abd-ru-shin, which contains a new and revolutionary Knowledge. Over the course of a thousand pages, it unfolded before us the stupendous panorama of the entire structure of Creation, disclosing the never-before-revealed regions without which no picture of Creation can ever be complete. It identified and described the Laws governing this Creation, explaining their long-ranging effects upon every individual. For the first time in the history of mankind, this book has revealed the actual point of origin of all human beings. In short, through its unparalleled depth of knowledge, this book has placed before our vision the most wonderous Work of Art of all: this Creation! We feel that this very special book, which has been translated into 13 different languages from the original German, will become the Guiding Light for all those all over the world, who long for Truth and Beauty.