I had the great opportunity this afternoon to head down to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to see the premiere of Jonathan Demme's Man from Plains, which is a documentary-style portrait of former President Jimmy Carter. The film debuted in Toronto at the stunning Wintergarden Theater which in itself is worth going to see. Prior to the film we were treated to a live performance of the song "Man from Plains" written for the movie and performed by the artist himself. It was a great performance. It was disappointing to say the least that the song did not end up getting the treatment it deserved in the film. It ended up being used in three spots that I noticed - two were in book signing scenes where the song had to compete with dialog so that both were hard to hear. The song was heard again when the end credits rolled - appropriately enough, but was quickly interrupted by film clips that seemed out of place and again did not allow the song to be heard.

President Carter was introduced by Director Jonathan Demme, and although Carter's speech was brief, it was great to hear him speak with passion about things he has cared about for over 30 years.

I had the opportunity last month to see President Carter in a video interview with Bill Hybels at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit, and from that interview (which in my opinion was much better than Man from Plains), viewers got an in-depth view of Jimmy Carter and the tremendous work he has done since leaving the presidency.

Unfortunately, Man from Plains never seems to decide on whether it is focusing on the man from Plains or just his recent tour to promote his latest controversial book - Palestine - Peace, Not Apartheid. It ends up with too little of learning about Carter's boyhood and early life in Plains, and what he does with his Carter Center - great work for fighting disease around the world and his personal commitment to building houses for Habitat for Humanity. Sure it touches on them, but the short clips seem out of place and incongruent to the tale being told. It should not be that way. The story jumps from present to past too many times and appears disjointed and repetitive. Footage of Carter in his Black Chevy Tahoe in police motorcades seem more like filler than substance, which is a shame. Jimmy Carter has a lot to say and the impact would have been much more true to his character, had it been him sitting and talking without the media-like coverage of constant getting from place to place accompanied by screaming sirens and irrelevant dialog.

The film attempts to be a media vehicle to voice Carter's thoughts on how to achieve peace between Israel and Palestine, and I think he is right. Building walls and miltary conflict will not win over either side in this prolonged war. His critics are quick to condemn him for blaming Israel and saying that the Palestinians are very badly treated, yet downplaying the terrorist tactics of the Palestinians and their newly elected Hamas government. Carter counters that the media in the U.S. has failed miserably to portray what goes on in the West Bank and Gaza and challenges people to go there and judge for themselves.

This is a conflict with no winners unless both sides agree on peace. Of all people, Jimmy Carter knows this. He knows the futility of arguing about past wrongs and instead focusing on how to achieve peace.

The film seems to make a valiant attempt to present both sides, but I'm not sure it succeeds.

It does stir awareness through controversy, and even though Carter admits that he has been hurt by the criticism, he says he can take it and I know he does so in the hopes that people will start to talk about the issues, find out what needs to be done and challenge their governments to seek peace not war.

Carter does not have to do this at 82 years of age. He does it because he wants to make a difference in this world. His faith teaches him that.

I think the film could have motivated us much more. I know Jimmy Carter could.