This documentary focuses on a one-week intensive mindfulness program at the University of Wisconsin, Madison that is conducted for a group of Iraqi vets with PTSD. The film primarily focuses on two vets whose lives are significantly impacted by their trauma from the war as they discuss some of what they experienced and how they are doing now emotionally. This is the primary interest of the documentary, but it is also intercut with a child who has ADHD and is learning to manage his own emotions in a mindful manner. Professor Richard Davidson is also interviewed throughout the documentary about his Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He discusses his efforts to investigate mindfulness scientifically.
This documentary was also somehow scored by the late, great Icelandic composer Johann Johannsson, who adds a suspenseful, Hitchcockian intensity to the soundtrack. Will this documentary satisfy those who are interested in proof of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based treatments? Probably not. But it's an interesting visual exploration of this new field along with a compassionate look at the veterans who suffer from PTSD. As Dr. Richie Davidson says in the documentary, we are just beginning to understand the mind and its ability to rewire the brain. The documentary is available for free through the Kino Lorber YouTube channel.