Review of the Spiritual Film “Brother Sun, Sister Moon”, 1972, by Jacklyn A. Lo.
The central theme of “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” revolves around Enlightenment, driven by the Spiritual Choice toward Light.
Thou Shalt Not Kill
The film is set in the Middle Ages in Italy, a time when war was not only accepted but even glorified despite the Christian commandment against killing.
Peace as a Value of Light
The protagonist, Francis, participates in a military campaign and witnesses the inhumanity of war. However, he makes a conscious choice2 in favor of Peace3 and returns home, much to the disappointment of his family. During his illness, Francis undergoes a profound inner transformation, experiencing Enlightenment.
Spiritual Choice of Light
Francis’s Enlightenment is a direct result of his Spiritual Choice of Light that he made during the war. This Choice leads to an elevation of his consciousness, refining his perceptions and sharpening his vision of the Spiritual.
As a result, he re-discovers joy in nature4, which is portrayed as a spiritualized reality. Simultaneously, he loses interest in the materialistic values as more basic aspects of the world.
Freedom as a Value of Light
Money and material goods acquired with it, especially in large quantities, are addictive and cause dependence on the physical world. Additionally, their excessive consumption does not support spiritual development.
Francis is deeply affected by this revelation that he wishes to guide others, especially his parents, away from materialistic values. He believes that the reward for this shift is the attainment of Freedom, a fundamental Value of Light.
Unconditional Love for Nature
Spiritual enlightenment is the key to the worship of nature and its elements. Improved sense organs perceive flora and fauna at the highest level, which can only be compared with a miracle. This unconditional love of nature we seen clearly in Francis.
Absence of Anger and Hatred Towards Others
Another notable feature of the protagonist is his complete absence of anger, hatred, and other negative emotions. We observe this in several episodes of the film, where he remains calm, clear, and kind to others.
For example, Francis never blamed his parents for continuing to live their lives, as well as for the fact that they completely abandoned him. He also always maintained inner and outer calm at the receptions of high-ranking priests – both local and the Vatican pope. Also when one of his childhood friends could not continue the monastic lifestyle, he did not blame him and did not resist his departure, but on the contrary, told his friend that of course, he could be obedient to God in worldly life.
Powerful Soul
Francis’s journey from wealth to a monastic lifestyle inspires some of his influential friends, highlighting his strong energy potential and unwavering dedication to achieving his goals, including the construction of a temple.
Conclusion
Brother Sun, Sister Moon, 1972, directed by Franco Zeffirelli and written by Suso Cecchi D’Amico, Charles Dyer, and Kenneth Ross. Lina Wertmüller is a remarkable spiritual film.
This film is highly recommended for those interested in exploring the concept of Spiritual Choice toward the Light and its profound consequences, such as Spiritual Enlightenment.
Notes
1 War is depicted as a Spiritual value of Darkness
2 The protagonist’s choice is implied but not explicitly shown in the movie
3 Peace is portrayed as one of the values of Lights
4 In today’s high-tech world, some acknowledge that we exist in a programmed reality, but fewer realize that everything around us is alive, like a vast living being. This revelation transcends logical comprehension, given the current state of human spirituality and energy.
- Image credit: ©IMDb
- Edited using GPT4 from OpenAI and Bard from Google AI
- For further exploration of the concept of Spiritual Choice toward the Light and its consequences, consider reading the novel “Redemption.”
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