Vanessa McMahon

The film THE INVOCATION (2010) is one of the most enterprising documentaries to come out of the past year, tackling the endlessly debated question: is world peace possible? Many contest that human nature is conflict and thus war is and always will be inevitable. But others maintain that peace indeed is possible, and THE INVOCATION explores how.

These filmmakers, Emmanuel Itier and Claude Budin-Juteau, took it upon themselves to travel all around the world speaking to some of the most important figures in religion, science, politics, history, entertainment and the arts to ask them about their views on peace and human nature. All agree that the fundamental questions of every human being are: Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? These are not only philosophical questions but also spiritual. Of course one cannot have a discussion about world peace without talking about religion and this moves a macrocosmic problem into a microcosmic one, from an objective view to subjective, from looking without to within.

Many wars have been caused by a conflict of spiritual ideas but as the wise Eastern puppet master Puppetji says in the film: ‘Does anyone really know? Can anyone really know?’ Well, it could be argued that the experience of spirituality for all of us requires us to ‘invoke’ the light within. The most important thing is to search inside of oneself for peace and spirituality. Most of us are looking outside but the answer is to look within; hence, the ‘Invocation’. Deepak Chopra says: ‘The highest form of human intelligence is to look inside yourself and not to judge. If you can do that, then you are on your way.’

All humans have the need for spirituality. In the East, the idea is that one must not look outside but within. And if one can look within and find the center of oneself then they could find a peace within. And if a peace could be found from within then indeed it could be transmitted without and the energies of peace can thereafter begin. Is it possible? If positive instead of negative energy is transmitted then can we really seek peace with our self and thereafter peace in the world? Puppet guru Puppetji also says, ‘No war inside, no war outside. Peace with yourself, peace with the world.’

When I was at the 2nd annual Aruba Film Festival in June I had the chance to interview the director of THE INVOCATION, Emmanuel Itier, and the DOP and co-producer, Claude Budin-Juteau. Of course this was before I had the chance to see the film but now that I have seen it and am deeply moved by it, I would like to share what these filmmakers said about their film:

ME: Hello Emmanuel and Claude. Can you please tell me a little about yourself and your film THE INVOCATION?

EMMANUEL: Emmanuel Itier, the humble director of the not so humble. So, you want to know about the movie? The movie was done for a period of three months around the world and we decided to embark and ask essential questions to people like Desmond Tutu and Deepak Chopra, the Dalai Lama. Sharon Stone is the narrator and it was really to try to understand why we don’t have peace when really there are so many brilliant souls, brilliant human beings, so much money, so many resources, why we have war? It doesn’t make sense. So that’s what we did. We went around. I think it’s a story of hope.

ME: So, you interviewed all these people? Did you interview the Dalai Lama?

EMMANUEL: No, that’s the only one we didn’t do. We went all the way to India and suddenly he was so sick so it got canceled. And he kept getting sicker and sicker so at the end the only footage we had to buy from an interview done in France. And the movie was made completely. It has been released in Brazil, Mexico, Scandinavia, Spain, Benelux, Australia, France and the US, starting in September. So, we are very pleased. We’ve been to fifteen festivals, got six awards. So, we are very pleased. And we are very pleased to be in Aruba. Because Aruba is a model of integration with very little poverty, violence and if it is possible here we should figure out how it can be this way somewhere else. It’s about management.

CLAUDE- In two hours the film gives you the same experience that we had in the two years of going around the world and meeting people who are talking about meaningful stuff so that’s what you get. It’s two hours around the world.

ME: Wow, well thank you. I can’t wait to see it! Any last words for the people about the film?

EMMANUEL: We just completed an amazing movie about PEACE and narrated by Sharon Stone: THE INVOCATION. Here is a link to the trailer and the whole movie. Also attached is the list of Festivals attended and Prizes won as well as comment received from well-known personalities. We are also now filming another uniting and inspiring Documentary: "FEMME: a Celebration of Women Healing the Planet." Please, find attached the presentation for this film and the list of great Ladies already filmed. We have already interviewed so many important Ladies, from Nobel Peace Prize Winners Shirin Ebadi and Mairead Maguire to visionaries such as Barbara Marx Hubbard, Riane Eisler, Jean Houston, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Marriane Williamson... So, enjoy the Divine ride of THE INVOCATION and we see you with FEMME at the next film festivals in 2012!

Summary by and Interview written by Vanessa McMahon 

photo in Aruba at AIFF 2011 by Vanessa McMahonFind out more: Check out: www.WonderlandEntGroup.com Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yicNscEO0y0 and http://www.lightning-ent.com/movie/view/97

Filmmakers Emmanuel Itier and Claude-Budin Juteau at Aruba International Film Festival 2011 

photo by Bruno Chatelin. 

COMING SOON!