THE FILM
Your Mind is Bigger than all the Supermarkets in the World – Some guidance for a Lost Westerner
In 2004 Swedish film-maker Cecilia Neant Falk went to the Nilambe Buddhist Meditation Centre in Sri Lanka. During the retreat she met meditation teacher Upul Nishanta Gamage. Since then Neant Falk has returned to Nilambe, always bringing her camera and microphone. The continuous conversations at 4 p.m. in the afternoons between Cecilia and Upul takes us on an existential journey where a Westerner´s questions on time, memory, art, happiness, work and meaning are answered from a down-to-earth practical Buddhist perspective.
Cecilia: Oh, I have big questions for you! Shall I take the biggest one first?
Upul: Yes, yes…
Cecilia: What is the meaning of life?
Upul: Wow…! It depends on your point of view. According to a Buddhist point of view, to understand about the meaning of life is the great meaning. Life is a great laboratory for you to do your own experiments.
Cecilia: But why do we suffer?
Upul: Because we don’t learn about it. Like if you drive a car without knowing how to drive, you are going to suffer, and the car is going to suffer, and others are going to suffer…
Upul´s and Cecilia´s voices are surrounded by the rich sounds from the tropical landscape. There are insects and birds of all kinds, monkeys jumping about in the trees, someone chopping wood in the valley…
The three conversations recorded during three subsequent days are not edited. The longest “stream” is 45 minutes. The whole concept is to avoid cutting, in order to let reality “be” as it is. For each day and new conversation there is a new landscape: The Forest, The Mountain, The Garden.
The Forest: Wind, making the pine trees move, sun streams changing the picture.
The Mountain: There is hardly any motion; some clouds drifting slowly over the valley, creating shadows on the green mountain. Then something turns up in the far distance…
The Garden: Tropical flowers. A playful squirrel suddenly becoming a movie star…
The film “Your Mind is Bigger than all the Supermarkets in the World” is an attempt at giving an experience of “now”, of being present, and the long takes are meant, in some sense, to balance our otherwise fragmented visual environment. The film is an experiment, a non-action movie aiming at creating a contemplative state of mind rather than to direct the audience to one emotional reaction to another. Of course this is rather challenging for the audience!
So in this way, the film is an interactive experiment: What happens when we have to meet our own restlessness, our longing for speed, for going away, changing the channel, or just change whatever is there? Get a new kitchen? Another job, another life?With this project the film-maker is posing qustions on our society´s culture of consumption – of things, of experiences – our need to be entertained, and the fear of non-action, emptiness and silence. It is a comment on the habit of grabbing things, people or projects to fill the gap in our minds.
Interview with director Cecilia Neant Falk
PRODUCTION FACTS:
YOUR MIND IS BIGGER THAN ALL THE SUPERMARKETS IN THE WORLD - Some guidance for a Lost Westerner - Sweden/Sri Lanka – 72.10 min. - Color
DISTRIBUTION: FOLKETS BIO / www.folketsbio.se
DIRECTOR: CECILIA NEANT FALK
PARTICIPANT IN THE FILM: UPUL NISHANTA GAMAGE
PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHAN RYDBERG and CECILIA NEANT FALK
SOUND MIX: OWE SWENSSON
PRODUCERS: CECILIA NEANT FALK and FREDDY OLSSON
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: MIRIAM MIKAELSDOTTER
PRODUCTION: RIOT REEL in co-production with BOKOMOTIV AB
WITH SUPPORT FROM: FILM I DALARNA/Malin Lagergren & Elisabeth Pethrus, SWEDISH FILMINSTITUTE/Anne-Marie Söhrman-Fermelin, THE FOUNDATION FOR THE CULTURE OF THE FUTURE, THE SWEDISH ARTS AND GRANTS COMMITTE
I just watched this film, and I think it was brilliant! In the first scene, when it starts of, there is about a 3-4 minute pause with just a frame view of the jungle with jungle sounds all around. Being a “westener” the first instinct is to get distracted, because of the non-action of the first few minutes. But that is exactly the topic that was discussed right after the first 3-4 minutes. Amazing.
So, the teachings seem to hold value and will guide one to “be”, instead of running around from crisis to crisis, trying to find the next bit of entertainment for the mind.
I would highly recommend this to anyone.
Going to look for the book and buy it!
I loved this film, it’s definately challenging from a distraction and action point of view but the subjects covered are deep and it’s so worth watching.
This is such an inspiring film/tranquil garden. I paused many times to write down the lessons that were given to me. I am glad that I own this because it will be seen/listened to again. I would advise everyone check this out and open your ears and mind.
actually it is nice programm. i wish you all the best.