6.10.2006
"Sacred Evil" -- Not Showing in a Theater Near You
...Well, unless you live in India. This new movie recently released out of Bollywood may be one of the most interesting ones I'll never get to see. It's the true story of a Wiccan who exorcises demons from a Catholic nun. My guess is that only in India could that ever possibly happen, and even there it's pretty darn amazing.
The plot of the movie is taken from a story in an autobiographical book of the same title by Ipsita Roy Chakraverti, a pioneer of Wicca in India, author, and grass-roots activist. Chakraverti gives us a nut-shell version of the incident:
...Well, unless you live in India. This new movie recently released out of Bollywood may be one of the most interesting ones I'll never get to see. It's the true story of a Wiccan who exorcises demons from a Catholic nun. My guess is that only in India could that ever possibly happen, and even there it's pretty darn amazing.The plot of the movie is taken from a story in an autobiographical book of the same title by Ipsita Roy Chakraverti, a pioneer of Wicca in India, author, and grass-roots activist. Chakraverti gives us a nut-shell version of the incident:
It happened to me in the late 80s. I am a psycho therapist. I was in Calcutta at that point of time. A Mother Superior called me and said that she wanted me to heal a nun. Me being a Wicca, I asked her that wasn't it against her principals. I deal with behavioral problems. The young nun was suffering. I was told that no drugs were to be given. A Wicca was to treat her. Her spirit was suffering. I had healing sessions with her.Predictably, the Catholic church tried to block the movie's release, but it would seem they were unsuccessful. What reviewers seem to agree on is that the movie is only going to appeal to people interested in the occult. "The subject is one that caters to a niche audience only." One review, published on many sites, occaisonally had the words "a no-no for non-believers," attached to the title though the reviewer merely said:
Naturally, this film about unnatural occurrences in Nature isn't everyone's cup of tea. Though the narrative gets high on the mood mode, it also puts the non-believers off. You have to be either an occulist or at least mildly interested in the supernatural to even get into the narrative scheme.I simply can't imagine the release of the movie in the United States. That's due to it's apprent "niche appeal" moreso than its contraversial topic, no matter what the movie's production values. Those, from the reviews, sound at least a little above average only without much "star power."
The narrative moves fluently from the present and the past. Whether it's the forbidding ambience of the church or Kolkata in the 1940s, the French cinematographer Ivan Kozelka furnishes the frames with colours that we've either not seen or seen in an era gone-by.Oh well... maybe I can special order it when it is released on DVD.
Labels: Paganism
Comments:
Ipsita Chakraverti has always been a pet peeve of mine. I used to do a news feed for a pagan site and at least once a month there was an article on this woman. If she's Wiccan in any sense than I'm a magical fairy princess. From her descriptions of what she thinks Wicca is, she sounds more like a New Age healer that likes shiny crystals and psychic powers than a Witch or Pagan.
Not my cup of tea, I have no desire to see this movie based on her life - though I am amused that a Nun would ask for a witch's help (if it really happened).
I'm obviously in no position to evaluate her claim of "Wiccanness." I'm like Will Rogers. All I know is what I read in the papers.
That anything like this ever happened anywhere sounds incredible. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it, too. But, for all of the Catholic protests, I haven't heard one of them to be that it never happened.
Not to mention that according to the website, Ipsita's source of 'healing power' isn't Wiccan, it's Kemetic (Egyptian). I know women of both disciplines, and unless there's some new Egyptian Wicca hybrid going on there, the two faiths are very unlike one another.
i am the director of sacred evil. just landed here through search. the movie isn't really about wicca. it is about ipsita's encounter with a nun who is possessed. it is not a horror movie.
it is dark and brooding but more like The Hours or The Human Stain.
abhigyan@undercoverpro.net
To be fair to this woman, she still lives in a society where supposed 'witches' are executed for their practices in rural areas. I personally don't care if that makes her personal style of Wicca a little 'lighter' than that practiced elsewhere. I am also thrilled that Wicca is coming to the attention of a larger, global community.
Ipsita's books have always been very very inspiring. However, I wanted to know if she really sympathised with Martha or not. Or did she feel that it was Martha's fault that she suffered?
to lolair
on what u base yourself to say
Quote for lolair
..From her descriptions of what she thinks Wicca is, she sounds more like a New Age healer that likes shiny crystals and psychic powers than a Witch or Pagan.
to say that you must know a lot of wicca
are you one cause if you dont know wicca,
please dont do youre big mouth,
btw its not an insult i say i just say that if you dont know the whole thing dont make comments on what you dont know
Thx
Post a Comment
Ipsita Chakraverti has always been a pet peeve of mine. I used to do a news feed for a pagan site and at least once a month there was an article on this woman. If she's Wiccan in any sense than I'm a magical fairy princess. From her descriptions of what she thinks Wicca is, she sounds more like a New Age healer that likes shiny crystals and psychic powers than a Witch or Pagan.
Not my cup of tea, I have no desire to see this movie based on her life - though I am amused that a Nun would ask for a witch's help (if it really happened).
I'm obviously in no position to evaluate her claim of "Wiccanness." I'm like Will Rogers. All I know is what I read in the papers.
That anything like this ever happened anywhere sounds incredible. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it, too. But, for all of the Catholic protests, I haven't heard one of them to be that it never happened.
Not to mention that according to the website, Ipsita's source of 'healing power' isn't Wiccan, it's Kemetic (Egyptian). I know women of both disciplines, and unless there's some new Egyptian Wicca hybrid going on there, the two faiths are very unlike one another.
i am the director of sacred evil. just landed here through search. the movie isn't really about wicca. it is about ipsita's encounter with a nun who is possessed. it is not a horror movie.
it is dark and brooding but more like The Hours or The Human Stain.
abhigyan@undercoverpro.net
To be fair to this woman, she still lives in a society where supposed 'witches' are executed for their practices in rural areas. I personally don't care if that makes her personal style of Wicca a little 'lighter' than that practiced elsewhere. I am also thrilled that Wicca is coming to the attention of a larger, global community.
Ipsita's books have always been very very inspiring. However, I wanted to know if she really sympathised with Martha or not. Or did she feel that it was Martha's fault that she suffered?
to lolair
on what u base yourself to say
Quote for lolair
..From her descriptions of what she thinks Wicca is, she sounds more like a New Age healer that likes shiny crystals and psychic powers than a Witch or Pagan.
to say that you must know a lot of wicca
are you one cause if you dont know wicca,
please dont do youre big mouth,
btw its not an insult i say i just say that if you dont know the whole thing dont make comments on what you dont know
Thx
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