RA: How is your film structured?
DD: Just like the workshops of Edward Brown, which are divided into cooking in the kitchen and lectures, the meetings in the Zendo, where Edward as a Zen master imparts his interpretation of the old Buddhist teachings.
RA: In your books and films, you often examine our society and the times we live in …
DD: To me this is the job of an artist.
RA: Your film is full of humor and not didactic …
DD: Yes, because I hate to be moralized. I cannot bear it if somebody tries to tell me how to live, what to eat, etc. But you will always get me with humor. This was one of the reasons I liked Edward right away. He is ambivalent and has a great sense of humor. He is a Zen priest, but for sure no saint—sometimes even with a raging temper.
The film is a proposal, an inspiration to a different way of life: to concentrate on the moment, to be present … It is a guide to happiness that everybody can try.
RA: You create both feature films and documentaries. Why are documentaries important to you?
DD: It is important to me to balance fiction and reality. And I like to listen and to observe. Edward is a find, a treasure. A true Zen entertainer and a true artist in the kitchen.
Photo of the director and Edward Brown courtesy of Roadside Attractions
