Join acclaimed director Velcrow Ripper on a journey deep inside the global revolution of the heart that is erupting around the planet. Humanity is waking up to the fact that the dominant system of power is failing to provide us with health, happiness or meaning. The resulting crisis has become the catalyst for a profound transformation: millions of people are deciding that enough is enough -- the time has come to create a new world, a world that works for all life.
A feature documentary by Velcrow Ripper. Produced by Ian MacKenzie, Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper.
Executive producers: Betsy Carson, Catherine Tait and Gregg Hill. Music in this trailer by Zoe Keating, Bluetech and Liquid Stranger. A Community Funded Film produced in association with Superchannel and the Canada Media Fund.
"What the film shows, triumphantly, is that love can unite as much as greed can divide." -- Vancouver International Film Festival
In a perfect world, all children would have at least one teacher this special. Jeffrey Wright uses wacky experiments to teach children about the universe, but it is his own personal story that teaches them the true meaning of life.
A now yearly tradition, Mr. Wright gives a lecture on his experiences as a parent of a special needs child. His son, Adam, now 12, has a rare disorder called Joubert syndrome, in which the part of the brain related to balance and movement fails to develop properly. Visually impaired and unable to control his movements, Adam breathes rapidly and doesn’t speak.
This annual lecture about Adam, and the meaning of life, love and family is what leaves the greatest impression on Jeffrey Wright's students.
“When you start talking about physics, you start to wonder, ‘What is the purpose of it all?’ ” he said in an interview. “Kids started coming to me and asking me those ultimate questions. I wanted them to look at their life in a little different way — as opposed to just through the laws of physics — and give themselves more purpose in life.”
Mr. Wright starts his lecture by talking about the hopes and dreams he had for Adam and his daughter, Abbie, now 15. He recalls the day Adam was born, and the sadness he felt when he learned of his condition.
“All those dreams about ever watching my son knock a home run over the fence went away,” he tells the class. “The whole thing about where the universe came from? I didn’t care. … I started asking myself, what was the point of it?”
All that changed one day when Mr. Wright saw Abbie, about 4 at the time, playing with dolls on the floor next to Adam. At that moment he realized that his son could see and play — that the little boy had an inner life. He and his wife, Nancy, began teaching Adam simple sign language. One day, his son signed “I love you.”
In the lecture, Mr. Wright signs it for the class: “Daddy, I love you.” “There is nothing more incredible than the day you see this,” he says, and continues: “There is something a lot greater than energy. There’s something a lot greater than entropy. What’s the greatest thing?”
“Love,” his students whisper.
“Wright’s Law” recently won a gold medal in multimedia in the national College Photographer of the Year competition, run by the University of Missouri. The filmmaker, Zack Conkle, 22, a photojournalism graduate of Western Kentucky University is also a former student of Mr. Wright’s. He says that he made the film because he would get frustrated trying to describe Mr. Wright’s teaching style.
This video, and the following message were posted to the internet by Yoko Ono on December 8, 2007:
I miss you, John.
27 years later, I still wish I could turn back the clock to the Summer of 1980. I remember everything - sharing our morning coffee, walking in the park together on a beautiful day, and seeing your hand stretched to mine - holding it, reassuring me that I shouldn't worry about anything because our life was good.
I had no idea that life was about to teach me the toughest lesson of all. I learned the intense pain of losing a loved one suddenly, without warning, and without having the time for a final hug and the chance to say, "I love you," for the last time. The pain and shock of that sudden loss is with me every moment of every day. When I touched John's side of our bed on the night of December 8th, 1980, I realized that it was still warm. That moment has haunted me for the past 27 years - and will stay with me forever.
Even harder for me is watching what was taken away from our beautiful boy, Sean. He lives in silent anger over not having his Dad, whom he loved so much, around to share his life with. I know we are not alone. Our pain is one shared by many other families who are suffering as the victims of senseless violence. This pain has to stop.
Let's not waste the lives of those we have lost. Let's, together, make the world a place of love and joy and not a place of fear and anger. This day of John's passing has become more and more important for so many people around the world as the day to remember his message of Peace and Love and to do what each of us can to work on healing this planet we cherish.
Let's Think PEACE, Act PEACE and Spread PEACE.
John worked for it all his life.
He said, "There's no problem, only solutions."
Remember, we are all together.
We can do it, we must.
Narrated by former presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy and activist Mario Savio, along others, "Revolution 2012: It's Time to Rise" explores our rigged system, from the military industrial complex to our bought-and-paid-for elections. But the most poignant sound bite may come from a representative of Iraq Veterans Against the War:
"We are resisting an occupation we once risked our lives for. We swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, but we found out the hard way that the greatest enemies of the Constitution are not to be found in the sands of some far-off land, but rather right here at home. When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. It is time we started meeting oppression with resistance. They cannot stop us. Humanity marches on. The utmost manifestation of love and devotion to America is today, as it always has been, resistance of tyranny."
As clips from iconic past speeches prove, we were warned.
Something a little different, this video was uploaded on Youtube by fiercelightfilms and includes an interview with ecofeminist Starhawk and this message:
Love is not a product! This Valentine season let’s reclaim love. A call to action for Occupies everywhere – how will you occupy Valentines? A flash mob kiss-in at the corporate criminal of your choice? At banks, malls, public spaces and places of local signficance? Let’s show the world that love is the revolution! How do you Occupy Love? Send us your Occupy Love Story! All submissions will be on the web and could end up in the feature documentary “Occupy Love.” We are creators – not consumers. Occupy Valentine’s Day. Bring Love. Love is not a product! This Valentine season let’s reclaim love. A call to action for Occupies everywhere – how will you occupy Valentines? A flash mob kiss-in at the corporate criminal of your choice? Let’s show the world that love is the revolution! How do you Occupy Love? Send us your Occupy Love Story Follow this link to learn more! http://occupylove.org/submit-your-valentine/ ! All submissions will be on the web and could end up in the feature documentary “Occupy Love.” We are creators – not consumers. Occupy Valentine’s Day. Bring Love.
