Act of God
- Release Date: May 1, 2009 (limited)
- Genre: Documentary
- Director: Jennifer Baichwal
- Producer(s): Daniel Iron, Jennifer Baichwal, Nick De Pencier
- Writer(s): Jennifer Baichwal
- Studio: Mongrel Media
- Length: 1h 16m
Synopsis
Act of God is a feature documentary about the metaphysical effects of being struck by lightning. The event represents the paradox of being singled out by randomness, and so precipitates questions about chance, fate and meaning in life. The film explores seven stories from around the world that raise and respond to these questions, while keeping the sky and what comes out of it as a central visual metaphor and thread. Paul Auster, who was struck as a teenager, philosophically anchors the film, along with Fred Frith, the improviser, who both imaginatively underpins it and personally demonstrates the ubiquity of electricity in our bodies and the universe.