A Japanese religious community makes an unlikely home in the mountains of Colorado

Founded in 1970, Shinji Shūmeikai (or Shumei) is a religious movement that shares some characteristics with Shinto and Buddhist traditions. Its practice is centred on the creation of art and an appreciation of beauty, an organic and sustainable approach to farming, and a ritual ‘healing practice’ known as ‘Jyorei’. This short documentary offers viewers a glimpse inside the Shumei International Institute in Crestone, Colorado, where practitioners share in routines of farming, cooking, exercise and prayer. The film also explores how the members of this group, seemingly all part of a Japanese diaspora community, have integrated with the local culture, celebrating and performing on taiko drums at Crestone’s Fourth of July parade.