In order to thrive, ecologies need diversity. Functionalism has proven itself in the wild. What seems bad to us, if removed causes disturbance in the equilibrium of nature. As immune as we might feel, our cultural ecology is not excluded from the rule of diversity.

What can you say in two hours that will move your audience to action, thought and consideration? Jamie Catto and Duncan Bridgeman wondered the same thing three years ago. They packed a grip (i.e., laptops, digital video cameras, and high-quality microphones) and hit twenty-five locations in twenty different countries in search of the voices of cultural diversity. The sounds, images and spirit they documented along the way they aptly titled “1 Giant Leap.”

Maintaining focus on the words, visuals, sound and spirit of some of the world’s most significant thinkers, musicians, artists, authors, actors, and scientists, 1 Giant Leap (Palm Pictures) is a cerebral, musical, visual extravaganza. It’s an album, a movie, a documentary, and a work of art. Among the minds melded here are Stewart Brand, Michael Franti, Tom Robbins, Brian Eno, Grant Lee Phillips, Speech, Michael Stipe, Kurt Vonnegut, Dennis Hopper, Ram Dass, and Neneh Cherry. Diversity incarnate.