THE DOCUMENTARY

A documentary about Rudolf Steiner, his love for life and for mankind, and the fruits of his ideas

An independent film project about Rudolf Steiner, his philosophy and ideas. Filmed in the region of Ticino, Switzerland, this film focuses on the fields of study where his ideas have been particularly fruitful: education, agriculture, medicine and sociotherapy.

A new look at the thoughts of a man considered to be a visionary, a sometimes controversial philosopher, an artist, a poet, a reformer,
an intellectual, a man who left us an immeasurable heritage of new thoughts and knowledge but whose ideas are still barely known or understood. 

A unique documentary film that is deep, moving, clear, straight to the point, and difficult to forget.
It features interviews with those who receive, apply or teach according to Steiner's ideas and instructions.

MOTIVATION AND SYNOPSIS

The world changes, grows, ages, renews itself. Life doesn’t stop. In fact, it even visibly accelerates - very rapidly.

While life accelerates, so many of us face the risk of ceasing to evolve. Without realizing it, we are impacted by a system that increasingly influences people toward consuming and producing, instead of just simply being. It is a system that leaves little room for self-contemplation and self-judgment, for listening to others, that doesn’t allow us to grow and evolve.

How much does modern society risk failing in generating human beings who are truly autonomous and present, who are able to think and judge freely? How does modern society fail in teaching people how to take charge of their own lives, and become a living example of honesty and integrity? How does it fail in influencing people to contribute toward a more sincere and healthy humanity? 

Quantity has become more important than quality regarding today’s modern intensive production systems and the health and sustainability of mankind, as well as the planet that sustains us. Much has been said and written about these current and often polemic issues and there is still much more to be said and written. The same is true for pedagogical matters, such as the growing pressure on students to perform well, which in turn creates anxiety, excessive or premature intellectual development (at the expense of other values and skills), or the lack of motivation. All of these are issues that were directly or indirectly approached by Rudolf Steiner around 100 years ago, in books and at conferences, and his visionary insights may have a lot to teach us.

How much can human ideals and the nature of human beings change while the external world transforms and accelerates? Is it possible to remain healthy while rejecting the spiritual aspect of humankind? What is a healthy adult? What are the pedagogical foundations for a healthy life? Are these different from those valid 100 or 200 years ago? How important is art and rhythm in school and in life in general? How can we respect the Earth and use it in a regenerative, sustainable way?

Rudolf Steiner has left us an immeasurable heritage of new thoughts, knowledge, insights and initiatives whose potential is still, to a great extent, to be discovered and understood. His work is huge, vast, and covers a great number of fields. His books and articles constitute the basis of his Science of the Spirit, presented by Steiner at approximately 6,000 conferences. These are available today in more than 300 volumes, in addition to his other works. The initiatives that emerge from his thoughts can be applied to many fields of human life, including biodynamic agriculture, anthroposophic medicine, eurythmy, the art of speech, Waldorf education, and “living” architecture.  

Although movements and institutions based on Steiner’s ideas continue to grow both in northern Switzerland and abroad, Ticino seems to fall somewhat behind. In general, it seems to be a challenging task to understand the depth of Steiner’s work, his visionary skills and achievements, and the potential of his ideas.

Who was Rudolf Steiner? What did he stand for? What was he looking for? Was he an extraordinary clairvoyant yet to be understood, or just another philosopher whose ideas seem somewhat old-fashined nowadays?

What is the bases of anthroposophical medicine, of biodynamic agriculture, of eurythmy, and what are the principles of Waldorf education? What makes Waldorf education different from other educational systems?

PURPOSE AND DISTRIBUTION

The documentary film Seeds for the Future was created with the intention of introducing Rudolf Steiner to those who are not yet particularly familiar with him and his work. The film is also intended to promote his ideas – mainly in the fields of education, sociotherapy, medicine and agriculture - based on the ongoing work of the major pro-Steiner institutes in Ticino, Switzerland.

The project aims to promote thoughts and ideas that could nurture many initiatives in several fields and in many ways. Wise thoughts, that are universal and timeless, thoughts that stimulate people to find the courage to meditate on the intents of their actions and to pursue a life full of purpose.

Our goal is to produce a dynamic documentary, that is both accessible and suitable for both national and international audiences. This film is rich in content and can serves as a timeless promotional tool as well as contributing to an increased understanding of Rudolf Steiner’s ideas, both in Switzerland and abroad.

This documentary is an independent and non-profit project. In the event that revenues should exceed the cost of production, promotion and distribution, profits will be donated to non-profit institutions or initiatives applying Rudolf Steiner’s ideas.

Two public showings are expected to take place in Ticino in 2023 (Lugano and Bellinzona). Further screenings or exhibitions can be arranged upon request. The film should ultimately be available on DVD and/or streaming from the website.

FOOTAGE AND INTERVIEWS