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The shoot went extremely well. Some highlights:

We interviewed Francis Treuherz, a homeopath and an historian of homeopathy and Hahnemann.

We shot at the House of Commons, and event sponsored by the Homeopathic Research Institute (HRI). There, we met Jeremy Sheer — who is doing work in Africa with AIDS.

We interviewed people from HRI

We spent hours at Helios Pharmacy where they make remedies!

And our very lovely hosts! Hilery and Ian.

PLEASE SEND US YOUR STORIES ON VIDEO!

We have an important mission and opportunity with this film; to explore the history, mystery, controversy and promise of homeopathy for the 21^st century.

It is crucial to get this documentary made and get this information out into the world. Lives are at stake. Daily, we witness the cycle of human suffering from hopelessness and depression to disease and despair. Homeopathy provides a break in this cycle and offers a ray of hope.

Please consider making a tax deductible donation.

Send us your stories on video!

FILM SYNOPSIS

In Haiti, Ricot lives in a “tent city”. In another part of town a residential school for the handicapped collapsed after the earthquake. The surviving children and staff live in temporary shelters. No one is receiving proper medical care.

In Cuba, people get sick from an infectious disease every hurricane season. Vaccines have little success.

In Queens, NY, Nancy has one dream in life—to become a mother. She and her husband Evan finally get pregnant and give birth to a healthy son, Lucas. At age two, Lucas is diagnosed with autism.

In New York City, Marc develops a small infection that refuses to go away. It is MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant and potentially lethal infection.

All of these people, while seeking a cure, have found a path that leads them to homeopathy. We focus on the most pervasive modern disorders in the United States: autism, addiction, depression, Parkinson’s, MRSA, and more. In developing countries, we tackle epidemics, and other acute and chronic illnesses. The characters’ struggles and triumphs illustrate the concepts of this medical system — its philosophy, science, controversy, and rich and unknown history. The film also includes a portrait of the founder of homeopathy, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. It challenges conventional medical notions of what is and isn’t possible.

We want this film to reach millions — to broadcast on national and international television, community screenings,  and distribute it to educational institutions including medical schools, nursing schools, etc. Our goal of this film is to change the world of medicine and make homeopathy known worldwide.

We have been researching and filming for this film for almost two years, and are now ready to go on the road and shoot this film full time! We have most of our stories, we are ready to go!  If we had the money in our hands, we could shoot the entire film in about six months.  Are you ready to let the world know about the wonders of homeopathy?

We have applied for numerous grants but will not hear back for a while. But we are ready to start shooting now! Alas….

There are many ways you can help:

1) Join our new exciting fundraising campaign! Requires a $10 donation, one time! Go here to read more about it!

2)  Give a straight tax deductible donation. DONATE HERE

3) Host a fundraiser CLICK HERE FOR MORE IDEAS

Remember, every little bit helps!

Eileen Torpey, a co-producer for this film, is headed down to Haiti in 10 days. She is going to hand deliver the computer to Ricot, and train him on it, as well as get an update on what he is doing, and the St Vincents School for the Handicapped (see the deaf camp footage on this site)

More soon. Stand by…

LOOKING FOR A LAPTOP– We need a laptop to send to Ricot, a man who lives in a tent city in Haiti with his family. He is learning emergency homeopathy to care for his community, and needs a laptop to listen to CD’s (learning more homeopathy) and to communicate with us.  If you have a laptop you would like to doante, please let us know ASAP! PC’s or MAC’s are fine. Just needs wifi, USB ports,  and a word program.  To learn more about Ricot, please view our Haiti reel posted on this site

FUNDRAISER: Since returning from Haiti, the film is on a roll. We are actively raising funds, and coming up with a variety of grassroots fundraising ideas.

At the end of May, Xerion Homoeopathie, a homeopathic store and clinic in Calgary Canada hosted a fundraiser for the film. They raised almost $6,000.

We did an interview with the founder, Eric Bosch.

Question: Tell me about your clinic?

Answer:. Xerion Homoeopathie.  Pronounced, zeh-ree-on, it’s named after a reference from old alchemy. Xerion was a red, powdered substance reputed to have the power to change any metal into gold. Made into an elixir, it conferred immortality.

Q: Tell me about the stores history and your vision?

A:  It all began in the 1950s, going back yet another generation to my great-grandmother, Elizabeth. Elizabeth brought concepts of healthful eating and vitamin supplementation home from Arizona, My Mom, Faye’s oldest daughter, took the natural lifestyle a step further with vegetarianism and her first home birth in 1981. That’s when I came on the scene. I’m told that I was raised on veggies in the blender and goat’s milk until my first birthday. However, my first job at fifteen was in a health food store in Northland. I read every book in the store on vitamins and herbs and developed a loyal following. I was a rebellious teen in leather clothes and black makeup, yet people took my advice!

Maybe it was because my mom was an opera singer and my dad a pipe organ technician, but after high school I wanted to be an artist. However, after grossing $800 in my first year as a photographer, I left the romantic world of the struggling artist to become an entrepreneur. “Write a business plan,” said Mom, when I told her that I wanted to open up my own health food store. A few days later, she saw the “For Lease” sign in an old bakery. Three months later, Xerion Health Food was born.

Mom retired from singing to find her true calling as a homeopath, and we now have the largest homeopathic dispensary in the province of Calgary. Miracles happen here every day.

On the day of our fifth anniversary as Xerion Health Food, we closed our doors and began a new leg of our journey with a renovation. With the help of friends and family we put in a new hardwood floor, two more treatment rooms, a waiting area, bright new shelving as well as fresh paint and new oak doors. In our new identity as Xerion Homoeopathie, we boast three homeopaths. Mom’s practice is busy with referrals and two MD homeopaths have joined us. As for me, I’m trying to figure out how to create a grassroots movement and change the face of alternative medicine and, not to mention, have my sights set on opening a second location!

Q: What is your philosophy behind your business?

A: I operate Xerion on the idea that medicine is more then just the pill. Homeopathy is about the entire body, therefore the business concept should be all encompassing as well. I would like to see the business of homeopathy reflect the brilliance of the medicine. Every mother should have belladonna in her medicine cabinet. Every nervous student should have gelsemium in their backpack and every traveller should not leave home without Metallum Album. This is a safe form of medicine that is effective and any future business for homeopathy should reflect that.

Q: Why did you do this fundraiser”

A: I was excited to find out about Blind Dog Film’s work in progress of From Within, Without. We decided to do the fundraiser because documentaries have the ability to change the world and we wanted to help. The story of homeopathy is vast and rich it needs to be told.

I have faith that this film will bring awareness on a global scale for homeopathy. I realized that the investment of time in doing this fundraiser will help our clinic in the long run. The more people that know about homeopathy, the more people will come to our clinic, the more people will be healed. I encourage other people, from around the globe, to support this film in any way they can.. We are all in this together. When this film reaches millions of people and shows them what homeopathy is and it’s power to heal — the world will be a better place.

We just returned from Haiti. It was powerful, heartbreaking, intense, inspiring, mind-blowing. I have not yet fully recovered from the experience.

Our crew included Eileen Torpey (associate producer/production coordinator/second camera/still photographer) Tamara Taddeo (camera) and Ricot Paulema (on-site production assistant) Matt Furber, a journalist, joined us. We shot about 16 hours of footage.

Laurel and young girl

Eileen and baby

We filmed some with the Homeopaths Without Borders people who set up a tent outside a private hospital.

Remedy in tent city

We also followed Ingrid Schutt to Haitian production assistant Ricot’s new home — his “tent city”. Like so many in Haiti, Ricot’s house had been destroyed and he is living in a crowded tent with 10 other family members. Ingrid brought her remedies to his community and helped many of the people living there, people of all ages who had not been able to afford medical care, or for whom traditional medicine had not helped.

Robin Murphy, ND was one of the homeopaths who was working with HWB. He taught  Ricot how to use the homeopathic books and the remedies, which will  enable Ricot to help his own community with emergency care.  We are going to continue to follow Ricot’s story.

More photos to come….

WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO HAITI to join Homeopaths Without Borders (HWB) in Port-au-Prince. We are very honored by this invitation and strongly believe that this experience will allow us to show the far-reaching and powerful impact of homeopathy and how it is being used to treat thousands of Haitians with infections, emotional trauma and disease.

We will document their daily operation and care of a variety of patients. HWB plans on setting up a permanent homeopathic clinic in Port-au-Prince. They have already treated over 2000 patients in Haiti.

While in Haiti, we will also meet up with Ingrid Schutt, a well-known homeopath, who lives in Montreal. Her recently deceased father was Haitian and  lived in Haiti. Ingrid is returning to aid and connect with her community in its devastation. We will follow her from Canada back to Haiti to treat patients and help set up an orphanage in her fathers home.

This is an important part of this film – to show how homeopaths often travel to disasters areas around the world to volunteer their services. It will also show how homeopathy can offer inexpensive and immediate healing in emergency situations.

We are hoping to raise funds to cover our costs for this trip.  (And, if we get donations quickly, we might bring down more crew!) By donating, not only are you helping the film project, but are also helping to support the economy in Haiti.

March 12, 2010

Update on Lucas Korn, the autistic boy we are following.29 months into treatment. Written by his mother, Nancy.

“We have had a very good week since returning to his former remedy. Lucas has been very verbal; speaking spontaneously in three and sometimes four word sentences. His muscle tensing has decreased substantially and the screeching that usually accompanies this tensing is all but gone at this moment. He is very related and making excellent spontaneous eye contact. When I redosed this morning, he did experience a “similiar aggravation” but it was a minor aggravation in which his muscle tensing got worse for a few hours before it subsided. Within four hours of receiving his remedy, the usual rash appeared on his hands. Once this happened, the aggravation subsided. He asked his first question this week, interacted with some peers, and displayed some seperation anxiety from me. A good week. Very proud of him. Thank you to Farah and Dr. Luc for everything they have done for us.”

March 11, 2010

Ingrid Schutt, a homeopath in Montreal, saw our website and wrote to us this morning. She is half Haitian (her father lived there) and went to Haiti to help last month. Her reflections:

“Homeopathy works wonders in physical and emotional trauma. We worked in the streets and met wonderfully calm and sweet people who have the strength  to overcome this disaster with the constant rememberance of God. Maybe that is where they get their strength.

Homeopathy was a effective as usual in physical trauma to dramatically reducing the pain in inflammation, broken bones, emotional trauma, skin disease. There were so many cases. Babies almost dying from diarrhea and dehydration, one dose of remedy and the next day they are eating and walking again. They react very quickly to the remedies. Some got vaccines for the first time and started getting sick right afterwards. We treated many kids for the ill-effects of vaccination.

We could see about 100 patients a day. Very quick consultations to treat the emotional trauma first when needed. Then they would come back for the physical trauma 2 days later. The remedy for emotional trauma would often take care of many physical complaints. So many needs. Ailments from malnutrition, parasites, water poisoning.

It was a wonderful experience we must repeat, for there is so much need for homeopathy in Haiti!”

March 10th 2010

Welcome to our new website!

Hello everyone. My hope is to use this website as a way to keep everyone updated on the film, to be able to communicate with the homeopathic community and to all people who are interested in homeopathy.

THE NEWS:

• We shot and edited some new trailers (we are calling “Film Clips”). Please check them out!

• We plan on going to Haiti with Homeopaths Without Borders. (HWB) soon.  Everyone knows about Doctors Without Borders, but most don’t know that HWB exists.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

The Donate section includes an update on how much we have raised so far (from many of you!) and overview of what we need, how the money has been used. and of course a place to contribute! We still need your help! Much of the larger funding will still not be available until we have a rough cut! Your donations help us keep going–doing more shoots and gathering more material.

Other ways you can help. We are researching new stories to include in this film. Specifically we want:

• People have already shot footage of their journey of health before beginning homeopathic care.

• To follow new patients from the beginning of treatment, for a year.

• Stories about animals using homeopathic treatment.

Please contact us if you have any leads or ideas.  I very much look forward to hearing from you.

And spread the word about the film. Feel free to link to this site!

ox Laurel Chiten, filmmaker.