Officer White Meditating 2: Officer Eric White of the Emeryville, California Police Department, meditates as part of a mindfulness program instituted by Chief Jennifer Tejada in order to help officers process trauma and increase positive outcomes with the public. The Mainstreaming of Mindfulness The coronavirus has affected all of us in ways [...]
“Dancing is a spiritual exercise in a physical form” - Merce Cunningham Merce Cunningham was considered one of the most influential and innovative modern dance choreographers. His work broke through the boundaries of classical dance and art. The documentary film Cunningham, by Alla Kovgan, invites the viewer to be mesmerized by watching a selection of [...]
The documentary film One Child Nation tells a personal story, yet also sounds a universal warning. It recounts a very recent (in our lifetime), modern tale of how a dictatorial country can set policy that, even though inhumane, is obeyed by the masses. Those same people also suffer the consequences. What the policy was, when [...]
Imelda Marcos in Manila and Ilocos Norte in a still from The Kingmaker. Photo by Lauren Greenfield. Greed. International Real Estate. Presidency. Abuse of Power. Family Legacy. Stylish Fashion. Does any of this sound familiar? The family name I’m referencing is Marcos, not Trump. The country is the Philippines, not the USA. The [...]
Documentarian Matthew Diretta turned his camera to the streets in Disco'd Living in Los Angeles, it’s easy to look away when passing a homeless person. Which is what happens every time I leave my home near Venice. The scope of the problem, the reality of the harshness, the causes, the solutions are all [...]
How our Minds Can Collectively Shift the Course of Humanity The documentary The Portal explores the power of meditation and the positive outcomes that emerge from committing to a mindfulness practice, such as inner stillness and interconnectivity between individuals and all living beings. The film offers up the possibility that mass meditation carries the potential [...]
In a time when people are increasingly feeling disconnected and discontent with the present and future of our species. Fantastic Fungi shines a much-needed light on hope. This is a story about reconnecting with one of our oldest allies: The fungi kingdom. The friendship between fungi and humanity is a long-standing bond. Mushrooms hold [...]
It might as well be reaching the summit of Everest, that’s how far-fetched running a marathon is for Brittany at the beginning of Brittany Runs a Marathon. At 27, she is lost in her dingy Queens lifestyle, with a part-time job she won’t take seriously, regular partying, and generally self-destructive behavior. Who hasn’t felt lost [...]
A film exploring enlightenment with humor and self-acceptance Becoming Nobody is a feature-length documentary that dives into American spiritual teacher Ram Dass’ quintessential wisdom through authenticity, humor, and pure humanness. This film is a collaboration between director Jamie Catto, producer Raghu Markus (who is also the Director of Love Serve Remember Foundation), and Google Empathy [...]
Honeyland offers no explanations, a story simply just unfolds. This documentary begins with a woman’s pilgrimage in an arid high desert mountains supported by unusual harmonic music. Is this modern day or an ancient time period? It is a doc, so it must be recent. And, where in the world are we? It turns out [...]