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To Dream of Falling Upwards

To Dream of Falling Upwards

2011

R

Director

Antero Alli

Runtime

125 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

The elder Magus of the Thelemic Temple of Horus is on his deathbed when his biological son fraudulently inherits The Temple. Jack Mason - a promising young sex magickian and rightful heir to the Temple - plots revenge and falls into a delirious maze of underworld encounters with professional psychopaths, desert brujas, and a twist of fate he never saw coming. Or did he? Meanwhile, Jack assigns his two hot-headed apprentices the ego-corrosive ritual of going into business as clowns in this harrowing, hilarious collision between the contrary occult worlds of urban and rural sorcery.

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Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.7/10

Fair

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film explores non-traditional sexual dynamics through the lens of sex magickian archetypes. However, it lacks explicit confirmation of queer romantic arcs or specific LGBTQ+ identities.

Gender Representation

Fair

The narrative destabilizes traditional masculine leadership by centering on brujas and ego-corrosive rituals. Despite this, the plot remains driven primarily by a male protagonist.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

A collision of urban and rural sorcery introduces desert brujas into the story. This suggests a blending of cultural mythologies and non-Anglo-Saxon folkloric traditions.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

The film prioritizes esoteric, non-traditional spirituality over established religious structures. It centers on Thelemic practices to challenge traditional authority and institutional hierarchies.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There are no visible or invisible disabilities mentioned within the narrative.

Strengths

  • Strong subversion of traditional Western religious and institutional hierarchies.
  • Exploration of non-traditional, esoteric spiritualities and occult philosophies.
  • Engagement with diverse folkloric traditions through the inclusion of brujas.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lack of explicit confirmation regarding specific LGBTQ+ identities or queer arcs.
  • Narrative remains primarily driven by a male protagonist, limiting gender diversity.
  • Uncertainty regarding the specific racial composition of the ensemble cast.

AI Analysis

To Dream of Falling Upwards is a thriller that thrives on subverting mainstream social and religious frameworks. It finds its strength in its commitment to esoteric philosophies and the deconstruction of traditional authority through occult rituals. The film excels at cultural subversion, replacing conventional morality with a complex, subjective reality. By focusing on Thelemic traditions and non-traditional spiritualities, it offers a unique perspective that bypasses standard institutional narratives. However, the film's focus remains heavily centered on a male protagonist, which limits the breadth of its gender representation. While it touches on diverse mythologies, the specific racial and queer identities remain largely unconfirmed.

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