Media Reviews : Film
Tranquil and fashionably bohemian filmmaker Philippe Caland is passionate about communicating spiritual and provocative messages. His latest film, Ripple Effect, in which he embarked on the daunting task of writing, directing, producing and starring, has arnered awards and acclaim at festivals across the country. It is the second in a spiritual trilogy (preceded by Hollywood Buddha and to be followed by Tripping Tommy). Along with Caland, Ripple Effect also stars Academy Award Winner Forest Whitaker, and Academy Award Nominees Virginia Madsen and Minnie Driver.
AV: What is Ripple Effect about and what were your intentions in making it?
Philippe Caland
PC: It’s a film about action and reaction; about the connection of people, the broad picture in which we all participate in ways we aren’t even aware of. Sometimes the most insignificant gestures are the most relevant in the bigger picture. I wanted to awaken people to this consciousness, get them to understand the connectivity.
I did it with big question marks. We’re all striving to be better people. It becomes a matter of, well, how do I get there? You’re not spoon-fed any formula that will make you a better person. You can only become a better person through living with an open mind that absorbs the environment around you and makes something out of every situation, being curious about how you fit into everything that surrounds you. It forces you to participate and figure out how to contribute.
AV: Was it difficult to communicate issues of karmic reaction and spirituality through this medium and within Hollywood?
PC: When you work in Hollywood, the pie gets split. There’s a pyramid of delegation, where you view yourself on top. But the studio remains boss, and wants to cut the pie differently. Before you even shoot a frame, they want to know what the trailer is going to look like, how it’s distributed, how they’re going to market it, who you’re going to send it off to and how it’s going to fit in their pipeline.
I don’t fit into this. A movie like Ripple Effect is hard to define and can’t easily be classified by its genre. There’s a grid of movies, grouped by these genres…action, comedy, romantic comedy, drama. There is no such thing as a spiritual movie in this business. Yet there is a market. People are opening up to it. It’s obvious to me that this is where the world is going, and that demand for spiritual films is growing. But that term is corny, it’s clichéd. It’s indefinable. Everything is spiritual, even horror.
AV: Regarding progressive social movements such as ‘going green’ and ‘spiritual awakening’, there seems to be a fine line between creating art and capitalizing on a trend. You see people believing they’re on the enlightened path simply by eating a specific way, going to yoga, buying ‘green’ products, when really they haven’t shifted any behavior or philosophy.
PC: That’s the danger of the trend. Spiritual awakening is something visceral. It’s not describable. It’s not quantifiable. It’s not something you can write books about. It’s something so profound, that someone can only live the emotion. The minute you start talking about it, you take a chance.
Ripple Effect is available on DVD: rippleeffectthemovie.com. Caland says, “What I’m hoping with Ripple Effect is that it will find its way in the ether and go on living there.” Look for a cameo by LA YOGA regular Bob Belinoff.
Anneliese Vandenberg is a writer addicted to learning. She’s anticipating a six-month journey to Kenya in January, where she will be helping to heal Nairobi’s slums through education and AIDS outreach. Find out more about her journey at indestructiblebeat.blogspot.com
By Anneliese Vandenberg
