Director's Notes

In 1976, the great American poet Robert Bly told another great poet and friend, Coleman Barks, “These poems need to be released from their cages.”  He was speaking of the poetry of Jalal ad-Din Rumi – a Sufi mystic who lived in the thirteenth century.  Thirty years later, thanks in no small part to Barks’ masterful translations into English, Rumi is now the most read poet in the United States.  Ironic and telling at a time when we are warring with the very religion which spawned such a wise and spiritual being. 

Another very wise person (my wife) handed me a book of Rumi’s poems at a tumultuous period in my life – and it proved tonic for my soul.  I stumbled upon recordings by Barks and Bly of Rumi poetry set to tabla and sitar.  I listened to those recordings a thousand times.  A great poem read by a great poet is a rare and valuable treat.   

Great poetry is naturally rhythmic and infused with image and symbol – qualities that enable them, like great religious texts, to trigger a deep emotional and spiritual response.  Whenever I read or heard Rumi, I saw the poem in my minds eye.  I thought it would be interesting to take a poem and express it in film.  Hence, the concept for RANT and RAVE were born.