Edhat Reader
Festival Begins on April 5th at the Lobero Theatre
After nine successful years in the red rocks of Sedona, the Illuminate Film Festival, the world’s leading showcase for evolutionary cinema, is relocating to the culturally rich city of Santa Barbara. The 10th annual festival starts on Friday, April 5th, with films at Fiesta 5 during the day and an evening inaugural event at the Lobero Theater. It continues with screenings throughout the weekend at Fiesta 5.
Illuminate’s mission is to elevate humanity’s sense of self, purpose and possibility and to leverage the power of cinema to inspire lasting social transformation.
One of the Festival’s core goals is to create a permanent, vibrant, interactive and diverse community of people in Santa Barbara who share an interest in fostering creative solutions to our collective challenges.
Illuminate seeks to engage people interested in vital aspects of our society including: • ecology and earth stewardship
• health and wellbeing
• science and education
• social action and democracy
• spirituality and psychology
• philanthropy and public service • arts and culture
“By showcasing uplifting socially-conscious films and by bringing community together around these meaningful stories and evolutionary ideas, we hope to offer an antidote to the despair and overwhelm that so many are grappling with,” says Illuminate’s Executive Director, Téana David.
The cornerstone of Illuminate’s programming is the Illuminate Film Festival, occurring:
• In Person: Santa Barbara, CA – April 5 to April 7, 2024
• On-line: Worldwide – April 8 to April 14, 2024
Opening Night at the Lobero, April 5
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm: Community Kick-Off Mixer on the Lobero Esplanade.
The evening begins with a festive pre-show mixer outside the Lobero where attendees can mingle, share perspectives, sample local healthy beverages and get their photos taken on the “green carpet.”
The Lobero bar will open at 5:30 pm with coffee, wine and cocktails.
6:30 pm: Welcome and Keynote from Deepak Chopra
Best-selling author, Deepak Chopra, will inaugurate the festival with an inspiring talk about cultivating a “quantum perspective” to help us become a better version of ourselves as individuals and as an awakening humanity.
7:00 – 9:00 pm: Opening Night Film: Love Over Money
The opening night film is Love Over Money, an engaging documentary portrait of Baskin-Robbins heir, John Robbins, who, compelled by the mistreatment of dairy cows and conflict with his father over the Viet Nam war, walks away from a life of luxury to forge his own path.
The film will be followed by an interview and Q&A with its co-director James Colquhoun.
How to Buy Opening Night Tickets:
Opening night tickets are $40
Tickets can be purchased directly from the Lobero Box Office at link below
Go To: https://www.lobero.org/events/illuminate-film-festival-2024/
Or, call the Lobero Box Office at: 805-963-0761
(Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm)
All Access Passes (In-Person Festival) – Sold Out
Illuminate Film Festival’s All Access Passes sold out in just four days through an early email notification to its membership list.
“We are thrilled by the enthusiastic welcome from the Santa Barbara community,” says Ms. David.
A limited number of All Access passes may be released closer to the April 5 launch date. Please check the Illuminate 2024 Film Festival webpage.
Illuminate Global, Online Festival (April 8 – 14, Online)
The festival’s weeklong online component features live global virtual screenings of 7 films/programs, accompanied by filmmaker Q&As, luminary panels and online conversations. The screenings can be viewed online on a computer, iPad, smart TV or on Apple TV or Roku through the Eventive app. The films and conversations will be recorded and available on-demand through Sunday, April 14th.
Click here for more information: https://2024.illuminatefilmfestival.com/
In Person Film Screenings (April 5 – 7, Santa Barbara):
Illuminate’s programming aims to stimulate your mind, open your heart and nourish your soul.
“We intend to entertain while evoking curiosity and critical thinking, planting seeds that can inspire us to take collaborative action toward the greater good. Our 2024 Festival theme, Movies Make Movements Happen, reflects this commitment,” says Ms. David
How to Buy Tickets to Individual Film Screenings
Tickets can be purchased here: https://2024.illuminatefilmfestival.com/
Please scroll down to the film section
Tickets are not available from the Fiesta 5 box office.
Friday, April 5 – Fiesta 5
12:00 pm: Eva Haller: A Work in Progress
A celebration of the life of dedicated Santa Barbara philanthropist, social and environmental activist and Holocaust survivor Eva Haller, whose magnanimous heart and zest for life is truly inspiring.
Following the screening, Santa Barbara artist and activist, Judi Weisbart, will present Eva Haller with Illuminate’s Local Luminary Award.
2:00 pm: Fantastic Fungi
In celebration of its 5th Anniversary, this remastered edition of Fantastic Fungi, a visually dazzling and thought provoking nature documentary (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), offers an enhanced, big-screen experience revealing an amazing living network under our feet.
The film is followed by a mind-expanding panel discussion about the role of psilocybin and other psychedelics in personal and planetary healing, featuring director Louie Schwartzberg and Jacob Tell, founder of District 216, Santa Barbara’s psychedelic social club.
Saturday, April 6 – Fiesta 5 Theater
10:00 am: What the Bleep Do We Know!?
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, this genre-defining film takes us on a perspective-expanding journey into the cellular, molecular and quantum worlds that underlie our existence.
The film is followed by a Q&A with the film’s co-director, Will Arntz.
1:00 pm: The Natural Law
After a devastating medical diagnosis, a man seeks answers in the ancient science of Ayurveda and discovers a lot more than just physical wellbeing.
The film is followed by a conversation with the film’s director, Amish Shah, author Deepak Chopra, and herbalist Caroline MacDougall.
4:00 pm: Uncharitable
Based on work by Dan Pallotta, whose record-breaking TED Talk on the subject has inspired leading philanthropists and changemakers, this documentary exposes the dark side of philanthropy and introduces a radical new way of giving.
The film is followed by a panel featuring Community Environmental Council CEO, Sigrid Wright and CEO of CalNonprofits, Geoff Green. Additional panelists TBA.
6:00 pm: Source
A fascinating documentary that reveals the results of the first rigorous scientific study to examine what happens when we meditate, using a Dr. Joe Dispenza retreat as testing grounds. The film asks you to come along on a journey to see how science shows how powerful we are as humans through thought alone.
The film is followed by a special in-person presentation by best-selling author and lecturer on neuroscience and quantum physics, Dr. Joe Dispenza.
Sunday, April 7 – Fiesta 5 Theater
10:00 am: Confessions of A Good Samaritan
Director Penny Lane’s (“Hail Satan?”, “Nuts!”) decision to become a Good Samaritan by giving one of her kidneys to a stranger launches her on an unexpectedly funny, intimate, and provocative quest to understand why everyone seems to think she’s crazy.
The film is followed by a panel exploring the power of empathy, featuring meditation instructor Sarah McLean, The Empathy Center director Edwin Rutsch, and Reverend Paulette Pipe.
1:00 pm: Unveiled: Joyce Tenneson and the Heroine’s Journey
As a groundbreaking female photographer pursues her artistic vision over 40 years, she struggles to navigate divergent roles as a good mother and an acclaimed artist. When a family secret surfaces, this delicate balance is threatened.
The film is followed by a live presentation with Joyce Tenneson.
3:00 pm: Jacob the Baker
When a skeptical reporter is assigned to interview the author of a bestselling book series, she discovers how the author and his fictional character, Jacob, who exudes warmth and kindness, provide hope to people around the world.
The film isf followed by an in-depth interview with the Jacob the Baker series author, Noah benShea.
6:00 pm: Wilding
Based on Isabella Tree’s best-selling book by the same title, Wilding follows the adventures of a young couple who re-imagine their inherited family estate in the English countryside. They let nature take over again, reintroducing ancient species and returning the land to its origins.
The film is followed by a panel with Feeding Tomorrow director, Oliver English, and other leaders of the local regenerative agriculture movement.
Source to Screen
As part of Illuminate’s commitment to educating the next generation of evolutionary filmmakers, we developed the Source to Screen program which will be held from April 8-12 at The Empathy Center in Santa Barbara (https://www.canoascenter.com/).
Source to Screen is an immersive week-long lab for creators of all kinds––writers, inventors, filmmakers, musicians, and entrepreneurs––anyone who wishes to integrate their spirituality and creativity to tap into the deepest source of inspiration.
Source to Screen will be facilitated by award winning filmmakers, Paola di Florio and Peter Rader (Awake: The Life of Yogananda).
Click here to register: https://www.illuminatefilmfestival.com/source-to-screen
Films On-Demand and Illuminate Membership
Illuminate’s Virtual Screening Room houses top-tier films in the transformational cinema genre covering topics including:
- Consciousness and Awakening
- Health and Wellbeing
- Personal Transformation
- Ecology & Earth Stewardship
- Social Impact
Click here to go to our Virtual Screening Room: https://watch.eventive.org/illuminate
Illuminate membership provides discounts to the Virtual Screening Room and the In-Person and Online Film Festivals and keeps you connected to conscious cinema year-round.
Click here to become a member: https://www.illuminatefilmfestival.com/membership
About Téana David
Téana David, MFA, Executive and Artistic Director of the Santa Barbara, CA-based Illuminate Film Festival, now in its 10th year, previously served as Director of Deepak HomeBase in New York City. Through her production company, Wise Planet Media, Téana has produced many short films on the topics of ecology and social impact. She is a founding member of Artists for Amazonia, Board Vice President of the Tribal Trust Foundation, and a member of The Evolutionary Leader’s Circle.
About Illuminate
The Illuminate Film Festival was founded in Sedona in 2014 and has recently relocated to Santa Barbara. Illuminate’s mission is to leverage the power of cinema to inspire lasting personal and social transformation while serving as a global hub for visionary filmmakers. The key sponsor for the 2024 Illuminate Film Festival is the Holomovement.
Venue Locations
Lobero Theater
33 E Canon Perdido St, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101
www.lobero.org
Box Office: 805-963-0761
Fiesta 5 Theaters
Address: 916 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101
https://www.metrotheatres.com/santa-barbara/fiesta-5-theatres/theater-info/
Box Office: 805-963-0455
Donate to Illuminate
If you wish to donate to Illuminate, especially in this first year to help ensure a successful launch in Santa Barbara, please click below
https://www.illuminatefilmfestival.com/donate
Any amount is greatly appreciated. There are “Comet” and “Eclipse” levels that are accompanied with recognition and All Access passes as described on the webpage.
