American Mystic

While many people contend that the United States is a Christian nation, the fact is there is a small but passionate community of Americans whose spiritual beliefs fall far outside the confines of Judeo-Christian faith, and filmmaker Alex Mar introduces viewers to three people who follow religious practices outside the mainstream in this documentary. Chuck is of Native American heritage and hails from South Dakota, where he has embraced the spiritual practices of his ancestors, preparing himself once a year for the painful Sun Dance ritual. Morpheus is a Californian who underwent a spiritual transformation following the 1989 Santa Cruz earthquake; she is now a witch who labors to communicate with the spirits as a Fairy, and will use her powers to help others as her personal ethics dictate. And Kublai is a medium who is a member of the Church of Spiritualism and Healing, striving to use his talents to help those in his community in Upstate New York. Director Mar presents his subjects without judging them, allowing them to speak for themselves about their lives and beliefs. American Mystic was an official selection at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival.