Hello Alive Mind Friends,

We are happy to announce that after premiering at SXSW and Hot Docs, Intangible Asset #82 is on its way to the Silver Docs! This insightful documentary chronicles the journey of Simon Barker, a highly respected Australian musician internationally renowned for his jazz drumming and improvisation. After hearing a recording of one Kim Seok-Chul seven years ago, Simon was immediately impressed by the immense energy and complex technique present. Kim Seok-Chul, officially designated as Intangible Cultural Asset Number 82 by the South Korean government, is an esteemed Korean hereditary shaman, occasionally appearing for villagers to perform rituals for a bumper fishing harvest or to settle restless souls of the dead. As he explored further, Simon discovered that few recordings exist of Kim Seok-Chul and none of his music has been transcribed for future generations. With the conviction that he must find and learn from the enigmatic shaman, Simon begins his seven-year quest.

Erin Criger of Toronto’s City News commended the film as “the most unlikely of road-trip movies,” adding that “it’s a race against time to meet the ill man and part of the journey is spent learning the intricacies of Korean music.” Jay Seaver of EfilmCritic called it “a fascinating trip from the very first stop,” and a “a great place to start, as it really drives home just how different traditional Korean music is from traditional Western music, while getting us into the countryside and establishing what a strong tradition music has in the culture.” Intangible Asset #82 will be playing at cultural venues and micro cinemas throughout the summer and will be available this fall on DVD, so keep an eye out for upcoming screenings in your neighborhood either at Alivemind.net, or on our new Alive Mind Twitter feed. Read the filmmaker’s blog here.

Also coming soon to a theater near you is Fierce Light, which ranked #2 against against Star Trek in Toronto and Vancouver! This transformational documentary captures the wave of Spiritual Activism exploding around the planet, and the powerful personalities who are igniting it, such as Alice Walker, . Vanessa Farquharson of the National Post calls it a “thorough and honest portrait of today’s activists and what they should understand if they hope to move forward with any measure of success,” and Liz Braun of the Toronto Sun says, “Fierce Light offers a wide variety of interpretations of spirituality. Connectedness is a common thread, and that connection extends to the planet and every aspect of nature.” Read Velcrow’s blog to learn more about Fierce Light and upcoming screenings/appearances or preview online for $4.98, which is applicable to your future DVD purchase.

Among our new releases, Arab Labor is now available on DVD. This controversial Israeli TV comedy series focuses on Amjad, a Palestinian journalist and Israeli citizen in search of his identity as he seeks high status in the society into which he was born but where his car is searched everyday when he drives from his Palestinian neighborhood to his job at a newspaper in Jerusalem. Poking fun at the cultural divide, Kashua and his characters play on religious, cultural and political differences to daringly depict the mixed society that is Israel. Los Angeles Times hailed Arab Labor as a “valiant, consistently hilarious attempt to explore the tensions and contradictions of everyday life among the Israeli minority.” Buy your copy here.

Also out is The Tibetan Book of the Dead. An ancient source of strength and guidance, The Tibetan Book of the Dead remains an essential teaching originating in the spiritual cultures of the Himalayas. Narrated by Leonard Cohen, this enlightening two-part series explores the sacred text and boldly visualizes the afterlife according to its profound wisdom.

Another new release is Through the Eastern Gate. Filmed in the gorgeous countryside and ancient cities of India and Turkey, this compelling documentary follows the journeys of three young people who have turned their backs on the material comforts and distractions of the West to find meaning in the spiritual philosophies of the East. Save 25% through June 15th when you purchase The Tibetan Book of the Dead and Through the Eastern Gate Insert, just insert code ThroughTibetan25 at checkout.

Upcoming DVD releases include So Help Me God, a witty and exploratory journey across America in search of God in different cultures, is one of our upcoming releases. In the film, the filmmaker and protagonist meets with Mormons, Muslims, Jews and Jehovah’s in hope they can help to fill the hole he feels his life is missing. The film approaches the complex yet universal questions about God and religion in an entirely accessible way. The film will be available on DVD in late July, priced at $24.98.

In news around the world, at Cannes Richard Lorber unveiled the upcoming release of Sokurov’s The Sun and 2008 New York Film Festival winner Tony Manero. Tony Manero, is a macabre political parable, in which the main characters’s obsession with Saturday Night Fever is an apt metaphor for the dictatorship. The film’s use of violence and sexual dysfunction is appropriate and powerful. Raul’s fantasy, and his single-minded pursuit of it, paints a dark picture of life under a dictator.

Until next time friends, sign-up for the Alive Mind newsletter to receive information about upcoming releases, screenings near you and special promotions or follow us on Twitter!

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