Leave The World Behind is a new film on Netflix, starring an impressive cast in a movie directed by the creator of the TV series Mr. Robot.
I’ll say it up front, I loved Mr. Robot. As bleak & pessimistic as it was, it was certainly compelling storytelling. It was also a breakout hit for star Rami Malek.
The new film (produced by the Obamas, interestingly) explores similar territory:
For those catching up, Leave the World Behind follows two families caught in an apocalyptic disaster. Set in New York, the film stars Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke as Amanda and Clay, two Brooklynites who take their kids, Archie and Rose, on a weekend trip to Long Island. The family rents a beautiful vacation home, but their trip is interrupted when two strangers, George (Mahershala Ali) and Ruth (Myha’la Herrold) knock on the door and claim to own the property. They say there’s been a blackout in Manhattan—and soon after, their world is shattered.
I won’t go into further spoilers about the film, but I will say: there is a palpable & often unbearable sense of dread throughout.
And to be expected, the outlook on human nature isn’t that rosy.
Ultimately, it left me feeling bleak in a time that is already steeped in apocalyptic dread. So you could make the case that this film (and the many “end of the world” others like it) are simply reflecting back the subconscious reality that so many of us feel.
And yet, I’ll step further and say these kinds of stories are irresponsible.
Without needing to resort to spiritual cliches such as “where attention goes, energy flows,” it is important to recognize that we are collectively facing a myriad of crises that require significant and sustained attention to avoid existential catastrophe.
Early in my adult life I recognized 1) modern society was headed towards a significant breakdown and 2) that filmmaking might be the most effective way to shift consciousness as quickly as possible.
I committed myself to proceed like this is true, producing short films & features such as Sacred Economics, Occupy Love, Amplify Her, Lost Nation Road, and the currently streaming The Village of Lovers.
The Village of Lovers explores the radical research project of Tamera in Portugal.
I was invited to attend their Global Love School way back in 2015, to explore their perspectives on living love “free of fear” and proto-typing an alternative model to the dysfunctional structures of modern society.
After four visits, and 9 years later, myself and fellow filmmakers John Wolfstone & Julia Maryanska, have completed the movie.
Here’s the synopsis:
Globalized capitalism is destroying the biosphere while political unrest and war continue to dominate the headlines. Where might we turn for guidance in order to navigate these uncertain times?
Enter Tamera: a radical intentional community 40 years in the making, whose research may provide keys to humanity’s survival.
They recognized that most utopian communities fail due to the unresolved shadows around love, sex, money and power. Tamera understood the need to develop a holistic model that centered the regeneration of trust as the core goal. This film is an intimate exploration of their insights, and a love letter to igniting a revolution of the heart.
I have written extensively about how Tamera utterly changed me & how I see the world.
In particular, my experience in the community shifted how I understand the phenomenon of Eros.
Most folks upon hearing the word will translate it to refer to “sex”, which is the root of the word “erotic.” The consequence is that it confines the domain of “eros” to how humans express the act of sex, as if it’s something we “own” rather than a broader energetic stream we participate in.
Tamera defines “Eros” as the vitality of Life itself. It’s what makes the bees hum and drift from flower to flower, drunk on nectar. It’s what animates the prancing of the elk in snow-kissed fields, and it’s what perpetuates the longing of Life to keep Life-ing.
Here’s the thing: whether we acknowledge it or not, Eros wants to move. Like the flow of water, it grows stagnant in domesticated pools. It is enlivened through winding streams & roaring rivers. And it resists being dammed and pent up.
This energy will find an outlet no matter what.
It can be bent towards violence, as in war. And it can be siphoned by the demands of modern industrial capitalism, which is more than content to consume our labour and keep us hooked on pseudo-gratifications like doom-scrolling and escapist TV.
(Again, a nod to the ending of Leave The World Behind but I won’t say more…)
Without positive pathways for the flow of Eros, of life energy, we remain stuck, stagnant, depressed, disconnected, and in despair.
Why is it that we are inundated with mainstream tales of apocalypse, but so few examples of imaginal possibility? Why is it that it’s far easier to condemn human nature as shallow, greedy, and violent, and therefore abdicate our responsibility to work towards a better day?
In short, why do films like ‘The Village of Lovers’ matter?
Years ago, around the time I began work on this film, I came across a slip of paper with the following quote. I can’t recall how it came to me, whether it was from a fortune cookie or a friend, but it has remained a guiding beacon over these long 9 years:
“If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."
- Antoine de Saint Exupéry
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If we are to work towards a future that works for all life, we must touch in our hearts that it is possible.
This film was crafted with this intention in mind. Of course, there was much we had to leave on the cutting room floor. It is impossible to convey the complexity of a 200 person eco-village in the range of 78 minutes, while also making it accessible to the widest possible audience.
This is also why we decided to put together a 5 Day Visionary Gathering called A Cry From the Future, to further explore the themes in the film and how we might navigate these deeply uncertain times.
These days, more “end of the world” is not only irresponsible, I believe it’s boring. We know where those stories lead.
Let’s tell a different story. And then work to make it true.
The future generations are counting on us.
Head here to stream The Village of Lovers from Feb 7-14th.
As part of the global premiere, I’ve also been featured on several podcasts. Dive in if you wish:
From Polyagony to a Village of Lovers - Life Is a Festival with Eamon Armstrong
From Crises to Coherence - reVillager Podcast with Jasper Circus
The Village of Lovers - Tangentially Speaking with Christopher Ryan
Eros, Desire & The Village of Lovers (with Asha Marie) - The Best Relationship Podcast