In Pursuit of Silence (in theaters June 2017)
Beginning with an ode to John Cage’s seminal silent composition 4’33”, the sights and sounds of this film delicately interweave with silence to create a contemplative and cinematic experience that works its way through frantic minds and into the quiet spaces of hearts. As much a work of devotion as it is a documentary, In Pursuit of Silence is a meditative exploration of our relationship with silence and the impact of noise on our lives. From the Desert Fathers of the third century AD who became a model for early monasticism to John Cage’s 4’33” which would go onto inspire a generation of artists, humankind has had a long fascination with silence. Yet in our race towards modernity, amidst all the technological innovation and the rapid growth of our cities, silence is now quickly passing into legend. From causing aggressive behavior to hundreds of thousands of heart attacks around the world, there is no aspect of human life that noise does not infringe upon. Silence as a resource for respite and renewal from the sensory onslaught of our modern lives is now more important than ever before.
La Source (2012)
Narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Crash), in what The Washington Post calls an “artfully shot documentary,” La Source tells the uplifting story of Josue Lajuenesse, a Haitian Princeton janitor who returns to his country after the devastating 2010 earthquake to revive his lifelong dream to bring what is most fundamental to his village’s survival; clean water.
A hit at the 2012 AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival where it received a standing ovation and a nomination for the Social Impact Award, this film from award-winning Director Patrick Shen (Flight from Death: The Quest for Immortality, The Philosopher Kings) is not just a movie about clean water and community transformation; it is a story of one unlikely hero, empowered by a vision, who did whatever it took to ignite the passion of people thousands of miles away to change the lives of those in La Source forever.
The Philosopher Kings (2009)
In search of wisdom found in unlikely places, The Philosopher Kings takes us on a journey through the halls of the most prestigious colleges and universities in America to learn from the staff members who see it all and have been through it all: the custodians. This thought-provoking, feature-length documentary interweaves the untold stories of triumph and tragedy from the members of society who are often disregarded and ignored, and seeks out the kind of wisdom that gets you through the day and the lessons one learns from surviving hard times, lost loves, and shattered dreams.
From the producers of the multiple-award winning Flight from Death, The Philosopher Kings gives us the opportunity to learn from eight incredible individuals whom we would never have otherwise taken a moment out of our day to acknowledge.
“A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study.” -Chinese Proverb
Flight from Death: The Quest for Immortality (2005)
Hailed by some viewers as a “life-transformational film”, Flight from Death uncovers fear of death as a possible root cause of much of our everyday behaviors. Through stunning visuals and insightful interviews, this multiple award-winning documentary explores human beings’ fear on our behavior, specifically in regard to violence. In the end, this film provides the most comprehensive and mind-blowing investigation of humankind’s relationship with death ever captured on video.