I AM!
Two provocative questions:
What is wrong with the world? What can we do about it?
One screening on Thursday 24 May at 11am at Simon’s Town Museum
Please book with museum
Ticket R20
Running time 80 minutes
What a fantastic and inspiring hour and a half.
I really think you should approach schools and show it to young adults as they’re the ones that can really change things and are going to be the most affected by the present world. – Nicky, Cape Town 18 April 2012
I AM is an utterly engaging and entertaining film that poses two practical and provocative questions: What’s wrong with our world, and What can we do to make it better? The filmmaker behind the inquiry is Tom Shadyac, one of Hollywood’s leading comedy practitioners.
Meeting with a variety of thinkers and doers – remarkable people from the worlds of science, philosophy, academia, and faith – including such luminaries as Noam Chomsky, David Suzuki, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, physicist Lynne McTaggart, poet Coleman Barks, and more – Shadyac appears on-screen as character, commentator, guide, and even, at times, guinea pig. An irrepressible “Everyman” he asks tough questions, but offers no easy answers.
The result is a fresh, energetic, and life-affirming film that challenges our preconceptions about human behaviour while simultaneously celebrating the indomitable human spirit. Shadyac found that more– in his case, a 17,000-square foot art-filled mansion, exotic antiques, and private jets — was definitely less. “What I discovered, when I began to look deeply, was that the world I was living in was a lie,” he explains. “Much to my surprise, the accumulation of material wealth was a neutral phenomenon, neither good or bad, and certainly did not buy happiness.” Gradually, with much consideration and contemplation, he changed his lifestyle. He sold his house, moved to a mobile home community, and started life—a simpler and more responsible life – anew.
He humorously describes himself as “questioning and searching and stumbling and fumbling toward the light.” Shadyac also discovers that, contrary to conventional thinking, cooperation and not competition, may be nature’s most fundamental operating principle.
Shadyac’s enthusiasm and optimism are contagious. Whether conducting an interview with an intellectual giant, or offering himself as a flawed character in the narrative of the film, Shadyac is an engaging and persuasive guide as we experience the remarkable journey that is I AM.
“My hope is that I AM is a glimpse into the miracle, the mystery and magic of who we really are, and of the basic nature of the connection and unity of all things. In a way,” says Shadyac, a seasoned Hollywood professional who has retained his unerring eye for a great story, “I think of I AM as the ultimate reality show.”
What’s wrong with the world? I AM!
What’s right with the world? I AM!
Do visit the movie’s website: www.iamthedoc.com/
This and other great DVDs are available from
Wisdom to Nourish
Tel • • www.wisdomtonourish.com
Exploring Consciousness
Thought-provoking films featuring humanity’s spiritual search – from ancient wisdom traditions to the latest interfaith – scientific investigations.
www.exploringconsciousness.org.za