ILLUMINATE 2017 Lineup



Walk With Me
Arizona Premiere


Be transported into a state of meditation as you watch this transformative film. Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch, this is a cinematic journey into the world of mindfulness and the Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh. The film goes deep inside the Plum Village Monastery where devotees have given up all their possessions and signed up to a life of chastity for one common purpose — to transform their suffering and practice the art of mindfulness with the world-famous teacher.





Shadows of Paradise
Southwest Premiere


This film documents the Transcendental Meditation (TM) Movement with intimate access to two of TM's leaders — iconic filmmaker David Lynch and dedicated disciple Bobby Roth. The film documents the movement's metamorphosis following the death of founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Having grown up within TM, Director Sebastian Lange approaches his subject through an introspective lens, seeking to reconcile the present-day incarnation with the teachings and practices that have shaped his worldview.


A Q&A and meditation with Bob Roth follows.




All the Rage (saved by Sarno)
Southwest Premiere


Called the "best doctor you've never heard of" by Forbes Magazine, Dr. John E. Sarno has pioneered a successful mind-body approach to treating chronic pain. He has cured thousands of patients including Larry David and Howard Stern and sold hundreds of thousands of books. This documentary profiles this back pain and rehabilitation specialist, presenting treatment information that could help millions of people suffering with chronic pain. Featuring Sen. Bernie Sanders, Prince Ea, Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Gabor Mate and many more.


A Q&A with director Michael Galinksy and Dr. David Clarke follows.




The Vervet Forest
Arizona Premiere


This compelling documentary tells the story of five orphaned monkeys rescued by the Vervet Monkey Foundation in South Africa, shedding light on the human activity that destroyed their habitat. The film follows the monkeys' arrival as infants and follows their growth into intelligent juveniles who are eventually adopted by foster mother monkeys and integrated into troops in the wild. The film explores how understanding the connection between ourselves and our environment can inspire positive action.


A Q&A with director Kyle Salazar follows.




The Last Dalai Lama?
Southwest Premiere


Director Mickey Lemle (Ram Dass Fierce Grace) brings to the big screen a very powerful and intimate portrait of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Lemle filmed extensively with the Dalai Lama with an intimacy only made possible by their 30-year relationship.





Lane 1974
Arizona Premiere


Based on a true story, Lane is a teenager raised by a single hippie mother in the 1970s. That counterculture was formed by young adults escaping the constraints of their parents' social conformity. But what about their offspring, often raised outside of child-rearing conventions and without any viable alternatives? This beautiful affecting drama captures the pathos of growing up subject to the whims of free-spirited grownups who themselves could use some adult supervision.





Lucky
Arizona Premiere


Lucky follows the spiritual journey of a 90-year-old atheist and the quirky characters that inhabit his off-the-map desert town. Having outlived and out smoked all of his contemporaries, the fiercely independent Lucky finds himself at the precipice of life, thrust into a journey of self-exploration leading toward that which is so often unattainable: enlightenment. At once a love letter to the life and career of Harry Dean Stanton, who plays Lucky, the film is also a meditation on mortality, loneliness, spirituality and human connection. Starring Ed Bigley Jr, David Lynch, and Ron Livingston.





What the Health
Sedona Premiere


What is the largest health cover-up of our time, and why don't the nation's leading health organizations want us to know about it? The film follows filmmaker Kip Andersen (Cowspiracy) as he uncovers the secret to preventing and even reversing chronic diseases. With the help of medical doctors, researchers, and consumer advocates, Anderson exposes the collusion and corruption in government and big business that is costing us trillions of healthcare dollars — and keeping us sick.


A Q&A with director Keegan Kuhn and Co-Executive Producer Sailesh Rao follows.