D'autres mondes

French director Kounen tackles a subject which should interest most everyone to some degree - be it shamanism or hallucinogens. Kounen's travels along the Amazon lead him to a tribe with century-long experiences of sacred plants and a "parallel universe" reached through the use of said herbs. Documenting the rituals of the tribe, his own encounters with the plants and the opinions of various experts from around the globe, the director seems to aim to unravel some of the myths of shamanism and everything related to it. He succeeds, but not completely. A part of the problem is that one cannot (at least Kounen isn't able to) begin to describe an alternate universe by producing surreal images on the silver screen or claiming things such as Kounen hadn't understood that he never left childhood prior to participating in the shaman's sessions. Perhaps the only way to truly learn about shamanism would be to have a shaman among movie audiences and instead of serving pop-corn, you could get yourself a nice big glass of Amazon's finest elixir. Nice effort though.

As a partial answer to first review, I have to say that you can't get much closer to what these experiences are like without trying the ayahuasca yourself, but wait, this must be done in the supervision of one of these shamans.

The surreal images are amazing, and a first. One must thank Kounen for giving us a visual glimpse (often accompanied by his own commentary) of what these experiences are about. The Shamans interviewed provide a way by which one could begin to understand their beliefs, also removing much of the exaggerations often found around the subject. Yes, we must be aware that there is A LOT MORE to it than images on the screen, but never less this movie treats the subject with respect. A hint for some of you: spirits are 'kind of' thoughts/perceptions.

I have seen the Jan Kounen's movie on shamanism among the Shipibo-Konibo and I find it is an excellent picture. Not only has he presented their world in a very wholesome way but his own comments on his motivations and ceremonies indicate a special sensitivity towards the whole argument and show what kind of a person he is. Additionally I find presenting the comments of the experts is very helpful to outsiders learning or researching on the matter. The overall presentation of the Shipibo world indicate a person who has approached the argument and experience with respect and in a knowledgeable way.

I congratulate the filmmaker on his film. I work with the Shipibo-Konibo and they are family to me now, and the respect for their practices is totally shown here.

A wonderful film everyone should see to learn more about the world's enriching diversity and themselves.

Gongratulations. I am looking forward to his next film on the topic. or any related one.