The mission of the Awakened World International Film Festival Retreat’s is to “express the voice of the spiritually nature movement.” To this end, the 18 inspirational films shown throughout the week include: People vs. the State of Illusion, Dying to Know, and The Power of the Heart from Light to Life. Each film is accompanied by musical entertainment and interactive question and answer sessions, as well as four nights of celebrations related to each day’s screenings.
Held midweek, the first annual Awakened World International Film Festival Retreat is headquartered in the majestic and historic Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. The festival provided shuttle buses for attendees to visit the event’s other venues, Unity of Santa Barbara and Center Stage Theatre. The festival evening festivities debuted Monday night with Reverend Michael Beckwith, several short films, and a concert featuring Rickie Beckwith, Faith Rivera, Harold Payne, and Makepeace Brothers. The second evening theme observed World Peace.
Wednesday’s lineup was highlighted by the celebration of the 10th anniversary of What the Bleep Do We Know!?. Filmmakers William Arntz, Fred Alan Wolf, Betsy Chasse, and Mark Vicente participated in a discussion of film’s effect on American society over the past decade, considered what they got right and maybe did not, and pondered the content of the follow-up film, tentatively entitled What the Bleep, Now What? What is clear is that the original film started a national conversation with the gradual mainstream acceptance of alternative theories of the power of the mind. Another one of Wednesday’s films was Under the Same Sun, a powerful drama set in the near future about how a unified interest in green commerce (solar energy) could unite Palestinians and Israelis. Its optimistic realism makes the events in the film seem real and possible.
Jeff Bridges, a local resident, made an appearance for A Place at the Table, a film that he narrated. Though not a new film (it was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in 2012), this documentary is worth revisiting, as it revealed how poverty in the US has led to a hunger crisis and offers proposed solutions. The movie memorialized Jeff Bridges’ repeatable line, “If any other country was doing this to our kids, we would be at war. It doesn’t have to be this way.”
The rousing final evening gala combined uplifting performances from Rickie Beckwith and the Agape Choir, hysterical comic belief from Kyle Cease, and an engaging panel conversation with Michael Imperioli (Sopranos), Barnet Bain, Susan Bridges, Emmanuel Itier, and Peggy Callahan.
Karen Henry is an Associate Editor at LA YOGA who volunteers in a variety of capacities for nonprofit organizations and artists around Los Angeles. She practices yoga as a counterbalance to her daily impact sports and is a mother of four grown children who also practice yoga . Now, she’s working on teaching yoga and joy of life to the grandkids!