He Found It

Seacost Culture Desk, "'Scared Sacred' on the screen this month" - Portsmouth Herald News - Portsmouth, NH, USA
Wednesday, March 4, 2009

York: St. George's Episcopal Church presents another installment of "Cinema & Snacks" next week.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, the public is invited to see "Scared Sacred" and share in some food for thought and munchies as well.

This documentary pilgrimage of director/filmmaker Velcrow Ripper, also the narrator of this film, spans five years.

Ripper describes himself as a "Sufi Buddhist Baha'i," a background that gives him a deep appreciation for faith and cultural diversity. It enables him to go more deeply into the heart and soul of the people and places he encounters.

"Breathe in suffering, breathe out compassion" is a constant and recurring theme and metaphor in this film.

He makes it visual as he visits the places of intense suffering throughout the world and begins to understand how the people in these places have found ways to express hope and beauty in the midst of suffering.

Ripper visits Bhopal, Israel and Palestine, Sarajevo, Kabul, Hiroshima, the killing fields of Cambodia, and the fallen towers in 9/11 New York.

Ripper affirms that even in times of great destruction, violence and suffering, there is an opportunity for great moral action.

Ripper's film is visually stunning and well worth seeing even outside of its challenging spiritual content.

Like so many of us, he was deeply troubled by worldwide violence and destruction and searching for meaning and hope. He found it.

[Picture from http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FUH3M8/imdb-adbox/].