Fierce Light: When Spirit Meets Action

I was fortunate to have seen this film at the Palm Springs Film Festival in January 2009. This brilliant film was worth the entire festival. The audience cheered and applauded. It is a must see for any human being who asks . . . "What can I do to make a difference? I was moved to tears of compassion and inspired to take action. Run to see this movie and tell all your friends. Gather in groups to watch the film and remember why you are here. I was filled grace and reconnected to what love in action truly is. Our light is much stronger than any darkness and our determination

to do what is right will always prevail!

Yes this remarkable film is a Human Sunrise.

There are few films that are so complete that the edges disappear; that engage the entire body in viewing, and leave you palpably shifted. Fierce Light is a remarkable combination of all of these things. Art and heart. It defies conventions of exposition, relying instead on organic unfolding as its voice. In doing so, there is an honest equality in each story and character, Thich Nhat Hahn presented with equal weight as the young girl in South Central Farms. Their hardships and glories speak to a common human experience, and a deep undisturbed peace; calmness within the storm, from which creative and positive social action can arise. In this way, Fierce Light points to a path of peace that preexists the difficulties of the modern world, one that has not wavered in the wake of killing and fear, on which we have been standing together all along. Now, we are urged emotively, it is time to walk it.

It's difficult for me to dis this perfectly well-meaning guy with committed, if vague, political and religious beliefs. The first five minutes of the movie were the strongest, and yet they also revealed the film's flaw. At the start we learn about the filmmaker's friend, who went to Chiapas to film a peaceful protest and was shot. Afterwards, the foreign journalists all left, and the lone filmmaker, our narrator, stands alone against the stormtroopers. That is when my wife said, "I don't like his voice."

But why not? His voice is perfectly fine. I think it goes to the larger issue, which is that every filmmaker has a voice, just like every writer has a voice. And this voice is a little too centered on the filmmaker. When the filmmaker faced off against the troops, he said "I was scared." That kind of on-the-nose writing is a real buzz-kill.

Because when a stranger tells you "I'm scared," the first thing most people think of is, "You're probably just a wimp." A movie shows, it's not supposed to tell. A horror movie is not a description of a scary event, a horror movie is supposed to scare you, or its not a movie. And anyway, what is the filmmaker, a white American, what business does he have being scared? The people of Chiapas, talk to them and you will hear about how scary it is. After all, you did take a plane to get there.

So that's the problem, in a sense. A self-narrated piece has a dangerous tendency to accidentally portray the narrator as the hero in their own story, and in a documentary where people's lives are at stake, that can seem a little selfish.

Gives hope and direction to all of those who feel they are alone in this world wanting things to change for the better. After finishing the film I felt like maybe there's a chance that humanity will make it through the current world crises and that is no small accomplishment! Fierce Light has taken social action and activism going on all over the world and through history and connected it all into a web of inspired action that transcends politics and religion. After seeing this film I feel less alone and more hopeful, like the world has many genuinely spiritual people trying to make the world a better place whether they label themselves that way or not. A truly powerful documentary and work of art with masterful direction and sound design.

As a long-time activist and some-time film maker, I attended Velcrow Ripper's latest film with an open heart and a critical mind. The subject matter is so important to express in a widely accessible way yet, in a world where we are necessarily kept from accessing this point of view, it will be a miracle if we can see this high quality film taken up for broad distribution and viewing. You, dear reader, can make that miracle happen if you insist that this film be show in your town, wherever that may be.

Fierce Light honours a diverse selection of activists who have committed deeply, fiercely and lovingly to initiating and following through with compassionate actions that create the world we need right now. From the famous and well-known personalities to people we may never hear of again, Fierce Light captures beauty and love in the faces and words of people just like we are in our collective dream of a world of peace and justice.