By Monteque Pope-Le Beau

There is a line that divides humanity and divinity…

In the wake of the ills of life all  depart and fall away leaving no answer to the questions which loom unmercifully like a dark cloud in the sky. A man stands at the crossroads of life waiting as death slowly approaches.  A tree stands in the field of a foreign land waiting to be asked the questions we have yet to know. Salvation rest in its presence. Knowledge is in the roots of its leaves. Sending those with dark intentions on a quest to possess  that which they could never understand. The roots of a family unfold revealing the secrets of life; leaving nothing unchanged, forged in the leaves of faith. This is the essence of  the film “Leaves Of A Tree”  which will screen Sunday May 17 and Wednesday May 20 at the 2015 SOHO International Film Festival.

 “Leaves Of A Tree” is profoundly moving and inspirational. Going Beyond what we believe, feel, and see to the very heart of the matter of what is at our core which is love and faith. Beautifully done, this is a work that is truly transcending. Is about a  mystical tree, shrouded in religious lore, which leads a once  powerful lawyer played Patrick Messina (Eric Roberts) who is sidelined by a life threatening disease, to remote Sicily to discover the secret of the tree’s medicinal leaves. Shot on location in  Castellammare del Golfo Sicily  and the Temple and Amphitheater at Segesta. As the story unfolds up against such exquisite scenery and rich history, the surroundings takes center stage and makes this  remarkable story truly come to life. Also also starring in the film are Sean Young, Armand Assante, Federico Castelluccio, Kresh Novakovic, Marisa Brown, introducing Sarah Sebastiana, with Patrick Gorman, Ozman Sirgood, Gaetano Sciortino, Colin Walker, Tyler Hollinger, and Sewell Whitney. “Leaves Of The Tree” is based on David Healey’s wonderful  book “Kindness for the Damned: Intrigue, Love, and Redemption in Sicily.”

 “Leaves Of A Tree” 97 min

Directed by: Ante Novakovic