PaganEurope, my encounters with the devil (DVD)
English spoken with English subtitles
A Dutch investigative journalist and documentary-maker finds the mysterious truth about Black Pete. Why he is black and why people, all over the European continent and England, paint their faces black.
Disguises with soot are omnipresent in Europe. He digs, far from the dominant culture in previously isolated and remote places. And films ancient rites that provide new historic prove that they are part of Europe’s cultural history and heritage. We follow his quest while we find treasures and rituals of deeper knowledge by syncretic figures that can change our lives.
In this international documentary about still existing folk culture on isolated islands and in mountain valleys in Europe we discover rituals that originate from far before Christianity.
What strikes are the many disguises in soot faced animals during these rituals. Early writings of the Catholic Church forbade and demonised them. But we see them still nowadays in all countries of Europe. Especially in the Alps, the Pyrenees, Czech Republic, Italy, the North Sea islands and Sardinia. They look primitive and are often ecstatic.
It solves the issue over the controversy over Black Pete. And provides historical and anthropological evidence about this mythical syncretic figure.
This brand new film was specially made for an English-speaking audience and contains images that have never been seen before. Extraordinary, spectacular and mindblowing.