Spiritual films come in all sizes and packages. When Mary Gervase founded the Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival in 2005, she went in search of films to show.
This year more than 350 films were sent for consideration. The festival will feature films from Turkey, the United Kingdom, Afghanistan, Tibet, France, Australia, Thailand, Canada, Italy, Iran, Uganda and the United States.
Three films are based on issues in the Wood River Valley: "Dog Bless Us" about the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley, "Winter Feast for the Soul" about a meditation movement and "Cambodia" by Lexi duPont, a graduate of The Community School. As well, the short trailer "The Little Sister's Fund" concerns a nonprofit organization founded and run by Wood River Valley native Trevor Patzer.
Artist Titiana Popa and filmmaker Teddy Grouya of "Icon" will speak at the screening at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at Sun Valley Opera House.
Some of Popa's icons will be installed temporarily at several valley churches during the film festival. There will also be a talk at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, with Popa and Grouya at CIRO in Ketchum, called "Making Visible the Invisible, Iconography" on the art of bringing theology into visual expression.
There are other interesting tie-ins.
Fresh on the heels of a Sun Valley Center-sponsored screening of "Born Into Brothels" comes "Rescue Foundation."
The movie is a 16-minute short about an organization that rescues girls, women and children who were forced into prostitution in India. It will be shown in a double feature with "Dog Bless You" at 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at the Sun Valley Opera House.
"Raising Lucy" is about a Coeur d'Alene couple, two dogs and a whole neighborhood who rally to raise a one-day-old gosling to a full grown Canada goose, including teaching it to fly. The producer and the woman who raised Lucy will be present.
"We have some incredible films," Gervase said.
As an example, she cites "Body and Soul: Diana and Kathy," sponsored by Sun Valley Adaptive Sports, about two handicapped women who met 30 years ago and decided to live independent lives together. Adaptive Sports Executive Director Tom Iselin will speak before the screening.
"Aami," or "I Am," revolves round the dreams and aspirations of the destitute residents at a children's home in Muktaneer, India. The director, 12-year-old Ashikul, tries to portray the questioning minds of innocent children everywhere. The movie won the grand prize in 2004 at the Kids for Kids International Film Festival in Greece. It will be shown at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, in a double feature with "The Little Sister's Fund" at the Sun Valley Opera House. Patzer and filmmakers Scott Squire and Amy Benson will speak.
Other speakers will include Hailey resident Valerie Skonie, founder of A Winter Feast for the Soul, and Sun Valley resident Emilie duPont at the screening of "Cambodia." Filmmaker and philanthropist Charles Annenberg Weingarten will speak at the screening of "Explore: A Visual Journey of Philanthropy and Service," and "Dog Bless You." The teenaged filmmaker, Angad Singh, will speak at the screening of his movie "One Light" and Randy Taran, executive director of "Project Happiness" will talk before the film of the same name. Richard Todd, director of "God Made them Blind" will speak at the screening of his documentary about an Australian ceramicist who devoted himself to helping the enormous number of people in Indonesia blinded by cataracts.
One of the highlights of the 2007 festival was the joint panel discussion with the Wood River Valley faith community, called the Power of Forgiveness.
"We had to turn away more than 150 people," Gervase said. This year faith leaders will conduct a panel discussion after the 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, screening of "Renewal." Veteran film producers Marty Ostrow and Terry Kay Rockefeller crisscrossed the country to capture stories of people whose passion and deep moral commitment led them to become environmental activists.
Lauralee Farrer, director of "The Fair Trade," will speak before the story of a woman who makes a bargain with God after her fiancé dies. And the filmmaker, Sande Zeig, and master teacher Allan Chuck will speak at the screening of "Soul Masters: Dr. Guo and Dr. Sha." The producer of "Beyond Our Differences," Tonka Soljan, will also speak for the film. And The Community School will have Headmaster Andy Jones Wilkins and students speak before the screening of "WarDance," a film they sponsored. Several movies will be shown twice, in Hailey and in Sun Valley.
Before and after each screening the music of the Laya Project will be heard. This traditional folk music CD is dedicated to the survivors of the Dec. 26, 2004, Asian tsunami. The Frida Award, sponsored by Bex and David Wilkinson, will be given out on Sunday.
This year's festival passes are black woven bracelets with the word "illuminate" woven in gold cord, created and made by the women of M Lap Tapang, Cambodia.
Tickets to individual films cost $8, special events are $15, and may be purchased at the door. All-inclusive festival passes cost $135 and are available at svspiritualfilmfestival.org and at Chapter One Bookstore in Ketchum. For more information, call 726-2777 or visit the Web site.
Special Presentations
· "Embracing the Mystery: Learning to See With New Eyes" with Dr. Naomi Remen.
7-9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, Sun Valley Opera House. Tickets $15. Free to pass holders.
· "Limitless Compassion" with Dr. David Shlim.
10-11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 20, Liberty Theatre, Hailey. Tickets $15. Free to pass holders.
· "The Doctor and the Soul: The Art of Healing"
Panel discussion with Dr. Remen and Dr. Shlim, moderated by Britt Udesen, Sun Valley Center
for the Arts.
Noon-2:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 20, Sun Valley Opera House. Tickets $15. Free to pass holders.
· "Making Visible the Invisible: Iconography"
3-5 p.m., Friday, Sept. 19 at CIRO, 230 Walnut Avenue, Ketchum. Free. With artist Titiana Popa and "Icon" filmmaker, Teddy Grouya for informal dialogue and demonstration. Details: 720-6327.
· Coffee with the filmmakers
9-10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, Zaney's Coffee House, 208 North River St., Hailey. Details: 788-2062. Free.
· Filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers social
5-7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 20, Sun Valley Inn Lounge, Free. With filmmakers and everyone interested in the film industry.
· Introduction to Soul Wisdom and Soul Healing
6-9 p.m., Monday, Sept. 22, Community Library, 415 Spruce Ave. N., Ketchum. With Allan Chuck, certified divine master teacher and healer of master Zhi Gang Sha, and Sande Zeig, Details: 720-6327. Tickets $15. Free to pass holders.
"Beyond the Call" is about three American men who blend philanthropy and adventure by taking desperately needed food and medicine into the world’s most forbidding yet beautiful places, the frontlines of war.
