"There are 6 billion paths to peace, what's yours?"
You need to upgrade your Flash Player to version 9 or later.
THE AWAKENING FIRE: A Buddhist Prayer for Peace A FILM BY BARRY BERONA & GREG DANIELS
SYNOPSIS
How do we create hope? "The Awakening Fire: A Buddhist Prayer for Peace" offers a fascinating glimpse into Shinnyo-en and the ways into which this sect of Buddhism exists to answer this difficult question. Documenting the “Shinnyo-en Prayer Ceremony for World Peace” in the spring of 2007, this 22-minute film sheds light on Shinnyo-en’s evolution along with its humanitarian emphasis and efforts around the world. Combining footage of captivating rituals with insightful interviews, the documentary distills key aspects of this uniquely positive approach to living.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
This was our 2nd project about Shinnyo-en Buddhism. The first project completed in June 2006 was a mixed media project celebrating the centennial birthday of the founder of Shinnyo-en. Symbolic imagery shot on 35mm film was projected on a 40’ screen as a troop of professional dancers acted out a buddhist’s path to Nirvana. Titled Festival of Joy, the combination of projected imagery, live dance and original music all moving simultaneously on an arc from chaos to clarity/enlightenment was an extremely powerful presentation.
Getting to know the Shinnyo-en people - their beliefs and their way of life - was the inspiration to learn more about the history and growth of this form of Buddhism. Philanthropic in nature, with the unselfish lifestyles shed of excess, these people get to the core of the human existence. In this 2nd project we wanted to delve into the roots of Shinnyo-en. Using the “Saito Homa” ceremony for peace as a backdrop, we discovered this relatively new form of Budhhism has touched a major chord of interest with the general public. The theme of World Peace was an appropriate subject matter with the unsettled state of our world today. Shinnyo-en’s open invitation to the ceremony and the huge response it generated reveals the general public’s interest for a more peaceful world.
An optimistic conclusion asks the viewer a provocative question of what path they will take in their role for a more peaceful world.
Download Presskit 
Press Contact: Tamra Raven