State of Wonder

It won the people's choice at the 1984 Berlin Festival, Panorama section. Shortly after, it vanished into thin air. It tells the story of a young man (Nigel Court) in a small village, anywhere in the world. There is something willful and strange about the boy. Autistic, perhaps, we don't really know, but we certainly never met anyone like him. He never knew his parents, raised by the local parish priest (the director, Martin Donovan, himself)The village is a fairy tale village. An extended, harmonious family. Until one day, a small military platoon headed by a mysterious Captain (David Meyer)arrives to the village with a mission. From that moment on, the tone of the film changes. Soon after, we discover the platoon is there waiting for a group of rebel freedom fighters headed by an outlaw leader (Tony Meyer, David's twin brother) The captain, after finding out that the young boy lives alone in the mountains, tries to convince him to stay in the village until the danger is over. But the boy doesn't understand the concept of danger. The scene between the two could be an allegorical piece, staging an imaginary encounter between a pacifist and George W Bush before attacking Irak. But State of Wonder was made in 1983. The freedom fighters call themselves the WFP the War for Peace Movement. He will become the go-between for the two confronting groups trying to avoid a bloody conflict. At the end innocence will pay the heaviest price, but even then, Martin Donovan doesn't allow that death to be in vain. Shot in 13 days in Ireland. It looks like a naive painting. The story is told from the boy's point of view, as a child would have told it, with a child's voice and and language. Unique.I looked for it everywhere, I found old, glowing reviews in some European publications, and a disastrous Variety review. The question is, the film is not available anywhere. If I know so much about it is because I met Martin Donovan, the writer, director, many years ago. I was a fan of "Apartment Zero" "Mad at the Moon" and "Seeds of Tragedy" but it was by chance, reading a reference book, that I found out about the existence of "State of Wonder" I was a bit surprised he had never mentioned it, let alone anyone else. I felt, perhaps,it was, you know, bad. But one day I asked him. He smiled and said, "if you want to see it, there is a tape somewhere, a copy of of a copy, the sound's not very good" You may have guessed I wasn't prepared for what I was about to see. I wept, I laughed and then I wept again. The film has never left me. The central character's nick name is Pichirica. I've only recently found out, Pichirica was the nick name of one Martin Donovan's younger brothers who died some time before he made the film. Personal, honest, visionary. Maybe that's it, "State of Wonder" reveals the heart and soul of its maker. I know. abelardo64@yahoo.com

Back in 1983, my local community was revolutionized by the arrival of a film crew headed by a young filmmaker with an Irish name - Martin Donovan - and a slight foreign accent. We are all in the film one way or another. It took some time for us to see the finished product. Martin Donovan himself came over to show us the film. We all remember that day very well. There we were, part of the pacifist dream of an artist with a transparent soul and a heart of gold. Since then, two or three times a year the film on video cassette is shown in somebody's house. It always becomes a motive for celebration. What hit me, last time I saw it, was the relevance of its message. The film is told through the eyes of the boy and with his strange language of wisdom. The fact that the film is not available in any shape of form remains a mystery.

Is this film " The STATE OF WONDER" available to buy anywhere or download. I am from the village where it was made in - in Cloghane in Co - Kerry, Ireland - There was great excitement in this rural village when this film was being made. It was screened in the Phoenix cinema in Dingle on one occasion after this - the whole community of Cloghane would love to be able to view this. Could anyone please reply to me on this - I saw this film 30 years ago and I would love to see it again I would be most grateful- many thanks contact me at : annfitz2003@eircom.net Is this film " The STATE OF WONDER" available to buy anywhere or download. I am from the village where it was made in - in Cloghane in Co - Kerry, Ireland - There was great excitement in this rural village when this film was being made. It was screened in the Phoenix cinema in Dingle on one occasion after this - the whole community of Cloghane would love to be able to view this. Could anyone please reply to me on this - I saw this film 30 years ago and I would love to see it again I would be most grateful- many thanks contact me at : annfitz2003@eircom.net

A small intimate epic. A film like no other. And where in heaven's name has been all this years. It was made in 1983! Very rarely a film will take a child's point of view and never betray it. This is one of those rare cases. Pichirica (the other side of Forest Gump, the real side)tells us a few heavy duty truths without preaching. The androgynous presence of Nigel Court gives the tale the strange other worldliness that rings so familiar. I saw the film in a badly damaged VHS but the impact was sharp, pungent and pristine. Martin Donovan (the director)plays Father Daniel a young parish priest with musical aspirations and the one ready to take a stand regardless of the consequences. Annie Chaplin (Charlie's younger daughter and a dead ringer for her father) plays the local girl who doesn't intend to leave her birth place " You leave places when you're bored or lonely or unhappy, I'm none of that" she tells Russell the mysterious journalist played stoically by James Telfer (Vanessa in "Apartment Zero")The entire film seems told in Pichirica's language so the grown ups and intelligent speak a little bit like him. I found myself with tears running down my face. I loved the film and I can't wait to see it on a big screen as was intended.

My brother and cousin were attending Irish college in Cloghane the Summer that the movie was host there, and both had parts as extras in it, along with helping out in set production and traffic control. As opposed to their daily lesson, this was a welcome (and well paid!) break away from the norm for two young teenagers! I (at the ripe old age of nine) attended the 'premiere' with them in Dingle on a damp and foggy Saturday the following year. Martin Donovan was very gracious with his time, signing autographs, and chatting with our whole family. Twenty four years have passed, the two boys are grown with families and still, it is a common source of conversation whenever we organize a family get together. My brother is now in Germany, and my cousin lives in Italy these days. It would mean so much to me to be able to hand them their own copy of the movie, let alone be in their company while they watch it- just to see the look on their faces! If anyone at all can help me get my hands on a copy -in any condition at all- I would be happy to reimburse any costs incurred. I'm sure someone out there has a copy, so if it's you, please get back to me! Thanks for taking the time to read this.

A.