A documentary about shamans, death and better life

A project by Marianna Zanetta and Edmondo Perrone
 
Itako are japanese shamans, known to be mostly blind. “Itako::Visions” is a journey across the subject of death and mourning,  through the rituals and practices developed and mastered by itako.
Before the encounter with shamanism, it is important to acknowledge the background in which itako work, within the peculiar japanese landscape and in particular the buddhist approach to death with its specific images of the afterlife. Beginning with the 2011 catastrophe, the earthquake and the tsunami that hit Northeastern Japan – where itako dwell – we deal with the death of a community, and the tragic loss of a child. We wonder what lead people now, in the XXI century, to look out for the help of a shaman. What kind of assistance can this type of medium actually offer? We then meet itako, we come to better know them, We try to talk about the future of this type of shamanism with the youngest among them, and with one of her clients. We will then have a clearer context of the human fragility in the face of death, and how ineffective will result materialism when dealing with the spiritual needs.
 
Credits
Project: Edmondo Perrone, Marianna Zanetta
Direction: Edmondo Perrone
Extra Shooting: Emanuele Satolli, Iwate Prefecture Noda Village, Tohoku Regional Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Turism.
Illustrations: Flavio Bisca
Editing: Edmondo Perrone
Translation: Toshie Shinozaki, Kenji Maeji, Tamayo Muto, Sachiko Akebiyama, Noriko Sato, Aya Yamada Mitchell Urbanowicz
Subtitles: Mitchell Urbanowicz, Marianna Zanetta
Music: “I should Know” by Edmondo Perrone, performed by Edmondo Perrone, Paola Bernardeschi, “Emotional Inspiration” by e-soundtrax. “Dancing life” by Lucrezia Morticelly. “Taiko Action” by iCentury
 
For more information
www.itakodoc.com
 
Next Screening
23 February 2017, MAO – Museo d’Arte Orientale, Turin, Italy