New Documentary Offers New Perspectives on Life and Death
LOS ANGELES - One of the most historically influential decades, the 1960s, came and went taking with it the ideologies of psychedelic exploration until now. After more than 50 years of dormancy, a new psychedelic revolution has emerged.
Through two traditionally opposed concepts: science and spirituality, the official release of the award-winning documentary, "A New Understanding: The Science of Psilocybin," offers a fresh look on treating end-of-life anxiety.
The compelling and touching story explores cutting edge research that uses the psychoactive compound found in 'magic mushrooms' to dramatically reduce anxiety of death in terminally ill cancer patients. Over the past decade, government-sanctioned, human psychedelic research with psilocybin has been conducted at Johns Hopkins University, New York University, and UCLA.
The research serves as the narrative backbone for the documentary. The film presents an intimate look into the lives of several terminally ill cancer patients participating in the studies, and opens an intriguing discourse of the dying process and our role as a society in that process. By informing current misconceptions about psychedelics, A New Understanding utilizes a collection of accomplished minds to discuss psilocybins' role in culture, evolution, mystical states, and even life itself.
The researchers navigate the complex realms of the studies and the amazing findings.Combined with emotional testimonials from the patients, ANU strikes a balance with a taboo topic that could have tremendous impact on society. The premiere release on MYTHAPHI.com includes a transmedia approach to the storytelling process. The producers plan to release the media archive, including over 30 hours of interview footage to the public via a Creative Commons license.
The impressive roster of interviewees include Stan Grof MD, PhD, Dennis McKenna PhD, Jeremy Narby, Alexander "Sasha" Shulgin PhD, and many more.This collection of media will join the archive from DMT: The Spirit Molecule directed by Mitch Schultz and founder of MYTHAPHI. Could psilocybin hold the key to understanding our life and death, and relationship to both? The growing numbers of people that have experienced these compounds profess this - and much more.