By Greg Reitman
Greg Reitman is the right man to make this sweetly poignant film at just the right time—amid the current backdrop of political bitterness, unprecedented divisiveness, and military buildup at the expense of public health and environment.
Setting out on a journey of self-discovery, armed with a miniature “peace tree” and existential questions like “How did humans learn to become violent?” and “How can we reconnect with our inherently peaceful nature?,” Reitman takes his quest to India and seeks out gurus like the Maharishi and Deepak Chopra.
Along the way he comes face to face with . . . himself. First, in the form of health issues that force the filmmaker to seek out medical advice, ultimately changing his diet and exercise habits. Next, he confronts his anger issues. Once he gets the toxic stuff out of his body and relationships, Reitman turns his lens to the endangered health of our planet. He meets with top environmentalists like Paul Hawken, Lester Brown, and William McDonough, who opine on what must happen to reverse our planetary crises.
Reitman shares the best wisdom from his worldly mentors: a meditation practice can expand the brain to become more receptive than reactive, our hearts have a stronger connection to our emotions than our brains, our planet is the circulatory system for life, and the rage of Gaia (earth) will return with a vengeance if we continue to only take from nature.
Following many scenes in which the seekerfilmmaker is planting trees, Reitman hands over his peace tree to a nephew, in whom he seemingly plants hopes for a better future.
Now if only we could make Rooted In Peace required viewing for everyone, especially those in the Trump administration.
—BETSY ROSENBERG