All over the world, in every society, there are objects that have special power over people. People climb mountains or make pilgrimages just to see or touch them. They prostrate themselves or engage in rituals in their presence, caress them in the hopes of absorbing some of their magic, they enshrine them in temples or pass them on to descendants; wear them or store them in treasure houses or sometimes burn them. An individual object might hold power over only one group or even just one person, but the phenomenon of "power objects" is universal.
 
The central idea behind the new motion picture "MANA-beyond belief" is that the way people behave in the presence of these power objects reveals a process of the human mind which is fundamental and universal: belief. By revealing the myriad activities and behaviors that take place around power objects — things that are precious because people believe they are — this new film presents an interesting way of looking at what is happening all around us, all the time. Belief is not just religion; it drives the stock market, it determines how we deal with history and our personal memories, it underlies racism and war.

Bringing together diverse cultures, characters, visual styles, music and fascinating objects, MANA attempts to identify the essential, invisible element underlying them all.
 

The film is a feature of the Avignon Film Festival in June 2005, and will be screened in San Francisco at the Roxy Theater starting July 8.