The Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival celebrates its fifth year of programming the "illuminating power of film" and has invited many spiritual film advocates to celebrate this weekend, including film students from Nampa.
The festival will kick off on Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Friesen Gallery in Ketchum with an opening party from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The 2009 film festival will screen all films at the Sun Valley Opera House, beginning Friday, Sept. 18 through Sunday, Sept. 20.
The festival has a number of guest speakers and filmmakers attending, including Stephen Simon, producer of "Somewhere in Time," "What Dreams May Come" and "Conversations with God and Indigo." Simon is also co-founder of the Spiritual Cinema Circle, a global DVD monthly subscription service that distributes four spiritually themed films a month.
"People are looking to help themselves be better human beings," Simon said. "When the films are over they feel better because the films ask big questions about why we are here."
Simon grew up in California with a father who was a Hollywood filmmaker. He followed in his father's footsteps and became a Hollywood producer, but decided in 2001 he decided he had had enough.
"I wrote a book on spiritual cinema, which ignited a lot of interest," Simon said. "I am happy to come to Sun Valley because as far as I know it's the only festival that has the courage to use the word 'spiritual' in the name of the festival."
However, Simon said the word "spiritual" needs to be understood more broadly than it often is by the mainstream media, which emphasize its religious connotation.
Simon said he is a big supporter of the Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival and wants to foster young filmmakers since his own filmmaking days are behind him.
"Hollywood is dead," Simon said. "So what's next? There is going to have to be a new way for filmmakers to get their work out into the world."
The Spiritual Film Festival has created a tradition of screening the work of young filmmakers, and this year it will feature a short film by a Wood River Valley native Brandon McQueen. McQueen was a high school dropout who followed his passion for filmmaking to Hollywood. After three years of fetching coffee as a production assistant, he enrolled at Santa Monica Community College and eventually transferred to Columbia University in New York City, where he received a degree in film.
"I received a Reach Film Fellowship, which gave me the cash to make 'Skip Rocks,'" McQueen said. "It's 11 minutes and a slice of family history."
McQueen's film is about his grandfather's unsuccessful fight against Alzheimer's disease.
"It's a terrible affliction," McQueen said. "I was trying to find some way to give hope."
The festival will also feature speaker Stephen Kiesling, editor-in-chief of Spirituality and Health magazine, which won the Folio Gold Award for best magazine in religion and spirituality. Kiesling has authored four books.
Another speaker will be Jim Walsh, founder and chairman of the board of the Human Energy System Alliance Institute, as well as chairman of the board of Hawaiian Vintage Chocolates and of Intentional Chocolate. Walsh concentrates his work on creating products that nourish the body and spirit as well as improve the quality of life for all.
Other speakers include Vipassana meditation teacher Brett Morris, who will speak at the showing of the film "Dhamma Brothers." Morris is a Wood River Valley native and is active in organizing Vipassana meditation in correctional facilities.
Top films to see at this year's festival include "With one Voice," "The Human Experience," "Oh My God," "Unmistaken Child," "The Horse Boy," "Lucia Rijker, a Boxer, a Buddhist," "Youssou N' Dour," "I Bring What I Love," "Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox" and "Footsteps in Africa."
For a complete listing of films, talks and times visit svspiritualfilmfestival.org.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
Festival information
· For film listings, passes and details, visit svspiritualfilmfestival.org.
· Films are $8 and $80 for festival pass.
· Film festival passes are bracelets made in Cambodia.
· Special raffle for festival in Sun Valley village. Show ticket or movie pass at Pete Lane's, Brass Ranch, Sun Valley Gift Shop and Kitzbuhel Sept. 18-20 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and receive a chance to win Men's Patagonia Down Jacket, Ladies Bogner Jacket, $100 gift certificate to the Ram Restaurant and Nancy Liston Large Pottery Serving Dish.
Children from an AIDS community in Ghana, Africa, in the film “The Human Experience” screening at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Sun Valley Opera House for the Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival. Photo courtesy of Grassroots Films, Inc.
