Halcyon a movie for world peace

Thought provoking and spiritually uplifting. One cannot see this film and not take a hard look at how they are living their life. A must see! Carlos Solorzano

Comments/Reviews

O'siyo, Hello my Friend, Yes! I got your DVD; it was Great and very Spiritual , I think it would help alot of kids today to see how the Creator works in our lives and transforms within us , changing from the bad to the good . Please keep it up my Brother for you and everyone on the DVD are Blest by the almighty Creator in Heaven and Mother Earth too.
Wado, Thankyou my blessed Friends, blessings be upon you always and forever, Pastor Buffalo Presswood

So, I watched it and really enjoyed it. It was nice to see old Tucson in lots of the scenes but the thoughts and ideas were quite deep. I thought it was nice to see people sitting outside of the TCC waiting to see the Dalai Lama or better yet, people who are searching for a better way to live. That being edited around the scenes you had with the main character finding his way through life and learning what is important and what one should do, amazing! I loved the locations you shot, a lot of the dialogue was quite fascinating and the exchanges with the main character and the people that personified the virtues you represented were quite touching. I hope a lot of people are seeing this film. Carlos Solorzano Author of Time and Eternity / Solo Drumist/Artist

I felt the transition between scenes was too choppy. There needed to be more
time between scenes to feel the message. I never understood who the little
boy on the skateboard was, the woman he was talking to and how they fit into
film. I practically enjoyed the sepia toned sequences where people talked about
world peace. I really felt like I was there participating in conversation.The sound needed work. It was difficult to hear some of the dialog.
Thank you again for allowing me to share my thought. I wish you much success
in your film career. Melanie Stokes Intuitive Living
Feng Shui & Organizing Solutions

Saw your film. really liked the lighting, looked very natural. don't know about movie making but seems like you have talent, good luck. Keith Chaon

I watch a movie for the first time as any other person would watch it. If I decide to write about it, I watch it a second or even a third time while taking notes for my review.
You may have had a vision about what you were trying to convey but it would not come across to anyone else. With the number of stories, they all appeared to be dead ends...like dead end streets. The endless footage of acupuncture. The endless footage of the kid skateboarding. The conversation outside the bar bathroom. What was the point of any of this? Who was the single mom and why was she important?
I understand the points that you were trying to make. Feminism, peace on earth, etc., but there are certainly ways to make these points without preaching. No intelligent person wants to be 'preached' to and that is what you did in your movie.
My main problem is that Kevin had no gestalt. No turning point that anyone watching this movie would see. So...what made Kevin 'get' God? Drinking 27 beers and falling off a chair? The audio was either too loud or inaudible. Your editing program made the scenes jump. I liked the selection of music within your movie. At least you had the guts to try.
Jeanne Chappé Films Outside the Loop

An independent film by local Tucson filmmaker, Kevin Matovina asks the eternally important question, "How would you create world peace?" Halcyon offers thought provoking examples of the human barriers to this goal on a personal level. Born out of AccessTucson local television, this docudrama shows what can be accomplished by individuals with a message. Cori Brackett Sound and Fury TV

His weapon is a camera as he roams in search of what is simpatico.
He represents our ultimate Hope for Peace and Love Juanita Guerrero Chicago IL.

Halcyon: idyllically calm and peaceful; suggesting happy tranquillity; golden: marked by peace and prosperity; "a golden era". In a similar vein as What the Bleep Do We Know?!, Halcyon's beautiful sepie-tone interviews on the question of "What is needed to achieve peace?" - like the What the Bleep movie's scientists offering insight on the concept of quantum theory - offers golden nuggets of wisdom to add to the argument against war and violence. Following Matovina's awakening parallels Marlee Matlin's character Amanda - different spiritual awakenings but awakenings nonetheless. May this be a beginning sketch for the Halcyon makers in pursuit of a continuously growing film sophistication in expressing this much needed message in the world. The Funky Hippy Live Peace!

   The opening screen with the two faces – one male and one female – looking in opposite directions is a befitting opening for this film. As film maker Kevin Matovina’s underlying focus appears be to demonstrate the varying points of view that life is seen from the male and female perspective.
   Panning a cemetery while a country singer intones “Face in the mirror what do you see?” is a fitting welcome to the film that is made to question “how do we have peace in the world?” There is a deeper meaning here in that many voices are now silent that have asked that same question and if we do not find the answer, we too will soon go the way of death without knowing.
   The film takes us into a crowd of people in front of a convention center in Tucson Arizona weaving in and out of the crowd, the camera focuses in on one individual who is making sure that he understands the question being asked by an unseen interviewer. Later we find out that the hosts of people are waiting to see the Dali Lama.
   We are taken to a wholistic health treatment room where a therapist is explaining Yin and Yang energy to her client who has been suffering from migraine headaches and how these two though interdependent, must be balanced or can cause physical problems in the human body. But to demonstrate the psychological differences, the film takes us to a discussion being had by two men who are in the drug business (apparent from their conversation). Why men in that type of business, we are yet to understand until Kevin (the main character) has a discussion with his wife in their kitchen. He is a drug trafficker who transports the drugs from one point to another for redistribution and his job is paying him well. He sees the money and what it can buy as accomplishment and his wife begs to differ. She is looking for more time and attention for herself and for their children. Kevin can’t comprehend her dissatisfaction. So the conversation about what’s important and what’s not between the two men in the garage corresponds with the conversation between Kevin and his wife. When there is no peace of mind, there is no peace in the home.
   The rock and roll music throughout the film gives a nice touch to the film and is relevant to the age group of the people acting in the film even the people segued in from the group awaiting outside the convention center to see the Dali Lama.
   There is a scene that seems out of place and hard to relate and leads to the question: “Who was the lady in Tucson with the five cats and the skateboarding son? What was her relationship to the main character?
   After visiting the garage and a bar, Kevin heads off to make his drug and rifle drop.

The sepia color for the interviewing segments of the film added a nice historical feel to the presentation.

At an earlier point in the film, back in the garage of the dope dealers, Kevin throws out an off-the-cuff remark about buying a piece of property. We don't ever get a clear understanding of why the house must be bought, but after the drug and gun drop, Kevin meets a Angelica who we assume is a real estate lady because they converse about previous properties viewed. We are taken into the back door of a property that Angelica has selected for Kevin's consideration. After the short walk-in, Kevin finds a book (Essence Gospels of Peace) left by a former tenant. Relaxing on the couch in the house for a few minutes, Angelica speaks to Kevin about "a package coming" leaving the audience wondering if she is part of the drug business also. What is even more puzzling is Kevin's sexual advance to her leading her in a direction of defending her integrity as a person and a woman. After a 3-4 minute dissertation on the issues of male-female relationships and the meaninglessness of things, Kevin still doesn't get it.

The next day, Kevin begins reading the book (Essence Gospels of Peace) that was left behind. But the reading is only words to him as he does not internalize them and goes out to meet another woman and then returns to the house to drown his internal dialogue in beer. Fortunately, something drives him to persist with the reading leading him to at least consider changes in his life and explore the world around him.

As if the time had come for his eyes to be opened, visions and spiritual events begin to take place in and around Kevin.

Ultimately, Kevin discovers that there is more to life than tangible things and that there have been areas of life that he has been missing. He finds that once he accepts the gifts that are being offered to him, his entire world will change.

As an independent first film for Mr. Matovina, there are some technical issues that can be improved, but the substance and message of the film are clear: take time to listen to your heart and make sure that you know that you have the power to bring peace into your life and your world.

See the film and consider how adding your voice to those answering the question: How can we bring peace to our world?"

Dr. Sophia Asaviour