The Spirit of Film

Every time we go to the movies we are inundated with one blockbuster film trailer after another. And we nod our heads with approval “Oh that looks good” or with disbelieve at how a particular film could have any relevance to our lives.

Quietly in the mountain ranges of Idaho a film festival aspires to offer us stories whose intent is to express “a celebration of human spirituality through film.”

In September filmmakers and audiences gathered to experience this years selection of documentaries and short films at the Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival. According to the festival its aim is to “Present films that explore spiritual traditions from around the world, as well as films that cherish the human spirit.”

Notable entries included: Buddha’s Lost Children, from Holland, is a documentary about Tiger Monk “a former Thai boxer and his journey to better the lives of the children around him.”

Next is an entry form Australia entitled Yoga of the Heart. This film documents the Chandi Festival in Rikhia, northwest of Calcutta. It “tells the story of this magical event, where tantric ritual meets social service.”

Now in its third year, the festival continues to grow in submissions, with about 280 films submitted, and 27 selected for the festival.

[tags] yoga films, film festivals, Chandi Festival,spiritual films[/tags]