This is a very nice film that ties together many elements of various IMAGINE PEACE, ONOCHORD, and IMAGINE PEACE TOWER projects into one film.
The way it starts, with the screen dark and the sound of air-raid sirens is very disturbing to me and unpleasant to say the least, even though it only lasts a short time. Yoko and John never shied away from unpleasant realities in their work. The opening of this film is something that would have been experienced in both John and Yoko's childhood cities during World War II. It jolts the senses and serves as a warning as to what could be the future as well as the past if we don't "cover the world with love" as Yoko mentions in the film. Perhaps it is also a reminder to those who criticize Yoko especially, and also other workers for peace; "You say we are dreamers with a saccarhine and unrealistic message? Ok, here is the alternative, do you prefer that?" So a few unpleasant moments to start the film and to remind us of the seriousness of the subject at hand.
Then onto more pleasant things, which many Yoko fans will enjoy and will have seen before, but not in such a united, flowing, tightly-focused and edited form.
I always enjoy seeing Yoko and hearing what she has to say, though I admit that I don't understand her meaning when she says in the film that positive & peaceful things come from a Northernly direction and flow down. Perhaps this is a part of her private belief system, which I can respect even if I don't understand the bigger picture. It is certainly not a harmful belief !
She does explain the very down-to-earth reasons she chose Iceland, which anyone can understand: the use of geothermal energy, not oil, and the resulting clean and vibrant feel of the country.
I love the footage of various ONOCHORD talks and presentations, as well as seeing Yoko, Olivia Harrison, and Ringo Starr arm in arm and ONOCHORD-ing at IMAGINE PEACE TOWER's inaugural lighting. All three of them sport sincere, brilliant smiles, as if they all enjoy and understand the significance and happiness of the event. Ringo's comment that next time he'd like to go to a warmer place is funny and typical of him. Look quickly and you'll see Sean (Yoko's son) in the audience. There is also an Asian woman with long hair near to Sean. I think she is too young to be Yoko's daughter Kyoko, and too old to be Yoko's Grand-daughter Emi - I wonder who she is?
By the end of the film, I was in a good mood after all the positive and celebratory festivities, but I have not forgotten the ominous sounds of the air-raid sirens, something I am too young to have heard for myself, and something I hope no one ever has to hear again. (I smiled to see that the film premiered on Oct. 17th - the birthday of a very special loved one!)
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