The Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival opens today, Sept. 14, with an array of screenings at both the Liberty Theatre in Hailey and the Sun Valley Opera House in the Sun Valley Village.
Among the movies that will have a world premiere at the festival is a Macedonian movie, "Iscelitel," translated to "Healer" for English-speaking audiences.
Made in 2006, the movie runs 55 minutes. "Iscelitel" will be screened Sunday, Sept. 16, at 5 p.m. at the Sun Valley Opera House, and at 8:30 p.m. at the Liberty Theatre. Director Vladimir Petrovski-Karter, producer Keti Petrovska and the healer, Konstantin Kajsarov, arrived Wednesday and will all attend the screenings to discuss the film afterwards.
Kajsarov, 26, has the ability to see the human aura, to see illness inside the human body and to heal those suffering from illness. Humbly describing himself as simply an instrument of light, he is shown in the film working with various people in Macedonia. The documentary shows the stirring testimonies of people that he helped.
The Australian movie "Yoga of the Heart" (2006, 51 minutes) will be a special film for many in the Wood River community. It has been sponsored by friends of the late Mila Riggio, who was a member of the Film Festival's board of directors. The movie, which will screen 5:45 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Sun Valley Opera house, was made during the annual Chandi Festival in Rikhia, a remote region northwest of Calcutta.
Thousands of people from all over the world travel to attend the Calcutta festival to receive the blessings of the great mother Goddess, Chandi. Hosted by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, one of India's few authentic living gurus, and the pioneer of yoga in the Western world, "Yoga of the Heart" tells the story of this magical event, where tantric ritual meets social service.
For more information and times visit svspiritualfilmfestival.org.
"Yoga of the Heart" will screen on Saturday during the Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival.
