PRESS RELEASE

ILLUMINATE Film Festival Opens Call for Entries for 2017 Season

Sedona, Arizona – September 30, 2016 – Following a wildly successful 2016 installment, the ILLUMINATE Film Festival is accepting official entries for its 4th edition, to be held May 31 - June 4, 2017.

Considered the nation’s premier film festival for conscious cinema, the Festival seeks narrative features, documentaries and shorts addressing themes related to mindfulness, wellness, the human journey, body-mind science, yoga, meditation, spiritual practice, organic and plant-based nutrition, sustainable living and all things consciousness.

“It is an exciting time for the conscious cinema movement,” Wolpert continues, “With the global mainstreaming of mind-body-spirit teachings, the explosion of audiences interested in this niche and the dramatic increase in production value of films in this genre, the possibilities of connecting conscious films to broader audiences are now expansive. We look forward to seeing the new work this season and sharing the best of it with our local, national and international audiences.”

During the Festival’s third run in June 2016, attendance reached over 5,500, attracting filmgoers from 28 states and 11 countries. The Festival screened 25 films and featured 75 visiting directors, producers, talent and industry guests, as well as musicians, artists, performers and mind-body-spirit practitioners.

The early submission deadline is November 30, 2016, the regular deadline is January 10, 2017 and the final submission deadline is February 22, 2017. Read more about ILLUMINATE’s submission requirements and submit a film via FilmFreeway, the easy-to-use online submissions platform, at http://www.illuminatefilmfestival.com/submissions.

ILLUMINATE 2017’s film program sections include its signature REEL HEALING series, which offers a unique" View and Do" experience for the audience that includes a film followed by an immersive healing workshop, activity or performance for a deeper integration of the movie's message; the SPOTLIGHT section, which features conscious red carpet premieres accompanied by engaging onstage conversations with notable filmmakers, talent or leaders in the mind-body-spirit community; FEATURE COMPETITION for film’s looking to launch their world or US premieres; CONTEMPORARY CONSCIOUS CINEMA; EPISODIC; CINEMA REVISITED; SHORTS; and a SOCIAL ISSUES/CONSCIOUS SOLUTIONS section.

The 2017 ILLUMINATE Film Festival is scheduled for May 31 - June 4, 2017 at the Sedona Performing Arts Center and Mary D. Fisher Theater. For more information, visit www.ILLUMINATEFilmFestival.com.

Contact: Carol Kahn (336) 339-4709

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