Nick & Peggy Polizzi and Dan Bailey at the Mill Valley Film Festival
The Sacred Science follows eight people seeking a cure in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon jungle where Shamanic healers work with indigenous plant medicines and spiritual rituals of the South American rain forest. This fascinating study of Shamanism juxtaposed to modern day medicine will be shown as a presentation of The Ridgefield Playhouse Film Society Documentary Film Series on Saturday, January 14, at 7:30 p.m. Filmmakers Nick Polizzi and Dan Bailey will be on hand for a post-movie Q&A hosted by Ira Joe Fisher and Morton Dean. This event is sponsored by Cohen and Wolf, P.C., HBGroup, The Ridgefield Press and Sony XDCAM HC.
The Sacred Science delves into the mythology behind Amazonian Shamanism offering some tangible results for some of the eight people who spent a month in the jungle in search of help with their physical and psychological ailments. Of the eight brave souls, five returned with real results (improvement/full recovery), two were not cured and one person did not come back. The time-tested indigenous plant medicines and spiritual rituals of the South American rain forest are caught on camera in this groundbreaking documentary film.
For filmmakers Nick Polizzi and Dan Bailey, the adventure was life-altering. According to Dan Bailey, “I want viewers to leave the theater with a greater appreciation for these ancient tribes and the knowledge they have to offer us, not just as a history lesson but as relevant, applicable technology that can save lives and better our communities here in the west.” For director/cameraman Nick Polizzi, it was a leap of faith that occurred while he was on a cross country trip a few years back. “I remembered reading about a system of under-studied healing techniques in the Amazon that were rumored to be extremely effective in healing neurological disorders such as Parkinsons and MS. This was the not so subtle push that sent us down to South America.”
Polizzi said that he wants people who see The Sacred Science to gain a greater appreciation for ancient tribes’ knowledge and realize that it is a relevant, applicable technology that can save lives and better western communities. “Our wish is that folks leave the film with an understanding of the deeper emotional/spiritual healing that is necessary to alleviate the physical symptoms of our ailments.” Bailey put it this way: “We've all heard of medical miracles, people overcoming their illnesses through sheer willpower and determination and faith, but to see it with my own eyes and actually take part in the process is something else entirely.”
For reserved seating ($5.00), call or visit the box office at (203) 438-5795, or order online at ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a not-for-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.
