What was the initial inspiration that prompted you to begin this creative endeavour documenting these spiritually diverse and yet somehow aligned paths?
MdW: We both travelled a great deal in the past and, in the course of our journeys, felt drawn towards finding answers to the fundamental questions of life ourselves. “Looking inside” or “finding answers” is often equated with retreating from the world. I definitely went through such periods myself, but nevertheless always felt that I wanted to do something for the world, to give something back, not to just run and hide and be gone for good. I felt strongly to share both the beauties and difficulties surrounding the spiritual quest, and found film to be a very powerful and suitable medium to do so.
JLB: Myself, I became open to the idea of creating something inspiring after spending a few months back home in Switzerland in 2004. I had spent one year in Asia studying and practising Yoga and came home to work a bit. I was appalled by the frustration that seemed to be everywhere. At the same time, I found people to be very open in the sense that they showed a genuine interest in what I had learned in the East. Putting those two factors together I concluded that it was worthwhile to embark on a project such as Through the Eastern Gate.
Moreover, I felt there were no good spiritual documentaries around. Most documentaries dealing with spiritual subjects only scratch the surface. In fact, Arnaud Desjardins’ 1970s films on Tibetan Buddhism and Afghani Sufism remain unequalled today – that says it all. I hope the approach we chose in Through the Eastern Gate will indeed touch the viewers; that’s all we really hope for.

How do you two know each other to start with?
JLB: We met briefly for the first time in India, in early 2002. Mironel was running around with a camera already back then (laughs), working on Entering the Lotus. After that short encounter we were led in different directions, and only met again two years later at an international Yoga camp on the Black Sea. There we talked about his work and current projects, and after seeing Entering the Lotus, I decided I wanted to help him realize another film. This is how Through the Eastern Gate began to take off.

When Through the Eastern Gate was conceived, I understand that the concept was not as broad and the project not as grand as it became. What factors amplified the scope of the film and its development?
JLB: For both of us, this is the first professional production. In other words, we did not know what it would actually take to make this vision materialize. We started off with great ideas and enthusiasm and thus were able to raise funds for the project. Once we had financial backing “it” was just happening. It is true that none of us thought it would take almost two years to finish the film. But I should add that we did take some time off. For instance, after the extremely tedious six-week shoot in India we gave ourselves five months before we met again in Turkey to shoot the Sufi part.
MdW: Indeed, it’s hard to put a finger on a single factor. I feel it was largely due to the nature of our approach. It has been a very blessed project. From the early stages on, we experienced a lot of synchronicities – the grace was there. That’s why we just had to be open and follow the signs. As a matter of fact, this is how we got to meet and interview Venerable Tenzin Palmo, for instance. The same was true in post-production, after editing in Bucharest for some time there was a very promising opening in Copenhagen. To sum up, I would say that from the beginning we really wanted to do something beautiful. This intense wish, together with the conviction of doing something meaningful, triggered events to unfold in our favour. And as the doors started opening, the project grew and grew. That’s how I feel, looking back.

Why did you choose the title Through the Eastern Gate?
MdW: Finding a title for this film was a long process. We circled around the idea of something denoting a journey, a path. All genuine spiritual paths are leading to one and the same acme, but one gets there through different gates. Because we chose to dedicate this film to traditions belonging to the East, we figured that our subjects would eventually get there through the Eastern gate. This is how we came up with that title.

What difficulties did you encounter in this project?
JLB: The time in India was extremely demanding for all parties involved. We were on a very tight schedule, shooting both in the very south and north of the subcontinent. We had both been to India before but coming back on this mission was a very different experience. Let’s put it like this: travelling in India is demanding and tiresome. Travelling in India with professional video equipment, typhoid fever, and a tight shooting schedule is quite a bit more demanding and tiresome. We only managed to keep up with the ambitious schedule thanks to the grace and the many synchronicities that Miro mentioned earlier.

What were the most rewarding or beautiful moments?
MdW: Generally speaking, I was moved by the fact that we were given so much support. I am thinking, of course, of Hans Hassler, who donated the equipment, and the Swiss grant-givers. But also the many “nameless” people who assisted in India, Turkey, and later in Europe. My personal highlight was the one hour that we were granted to spend in Rumi’s tomb outside of the public opening hours. I felt that place to be very charged and had a very special state of mind. It was wonderful.

What is your greatest hope surrounding the release of this film?
MdW: I think I can speak for both of us when I say that our greatest hope is that it will be seen by a large number of people, be it on national television, at festivals, or later, on DVD. The primary goal of this  project was at all times to create a piece of art that will inspire the viewers to question their own life choices, their own ways of  life, not by being offensive and preachy, but by simply opening three windows into three different worlds. The film is very personal; our subjects talk about their lives. This is precisely why we chose from the beginning not to have a narrator. We wanted it to be very personal. The audience is invited to get a taste of what it takes to commit fully to the spiritual quest.


Interview by Lori Doyle, June 12, 2006