Larry – Sedona, AZ

An act of courage submission for the 1000 Acts of Courage campaign – a community-building conscious action campaign collecting one thousand courageous acts for the well-being, empowerment, and equity of girls and women:

When I was living in New York City, I saw a woman who I causally knew being verbally harassed by a tough-looking man. Acting without thinking too much, I went to her side, greeted her enthusiastically, and quickly walked her away. The guy was surprised, but slowly followed us. Soon I ushered her through a doorway that led to the busy kitchen of a Chinese restaurant with several cooks, to whom I explained that we were seeking sanctuary. The tough man didn’t enter; she and I waited until he walked away from the door. She and I held hands until she calmed down, and we left through the front door and into the sunshine.  ... [read more]

Coreen – Scottsdale, AZ

An act of courage submission for the 1000 Acts of Courage campaign – a community-building conscious action campaign collecting one thousand courageous acts for the well-being, empowerment, and equity of girls and women

I empowered myself by facing the convicted killer who abducted me, raped me and tried to kill me… And forgave him. I made a film about my healing journey in hopes to inspire the world to heal, and become whole and at peace. I believe if each person has peace, we’d have world peace. ... [read more]

Susanna – Arizona

An act of courage submission for the 1000 Acts of Courage campaign – a community-building conscious action campaign collecting one thousand courageous acts for the well-being, empowerment, and equity of girls and women

I was the only woman to play polo at the Windsor guards polo club among 130 men. Prince Charles was a friend and fellow player for many years. I played polo for UK against a visiting team from Potomac, Washington. I think it change the perception of a woman in a male dominated world, and changed women who saw me as a threat! Now there are many more women playing polo than in my day. I was one of 6 in England, and the only player elected to Windsor. ... [read more]

Kristin – Beaverton, OR

An act of courage submission for the 1000 Acts of Courage campaign – a community-building conscious action campaign collecting one thousand courageous acts for the well-being, empowerment, and equity of girls and women

My act of courage was to invest in myself and my business. I am taking steps each day to become financially independent. This means networking, getting out of my comfort zone, and focusing on personal growth. I am building an asset that will give me choices and empower other women to do the same if they choose.  j ... [read more]

Donna – Chicago, IL

An act of courage submission for the 1000 Acts of Courage campaign – a community-building conscious action campaign collecting one thousand courageous acts for the well-being, empowerment, and equity of girls and women

Several years ago it took courage for me to appear in court for the mother of a client who had alleged having been physically abused by her young daughter’s biological father. The court battle was over whether the father should be entitled to unsupervised visitation with his daughter, my client who at the time was around the age of 6. My intention was to inform the court of how it is that violence against a pregnant mother can have a damaging impact on the unborn fetus. This was relevant because during the time of the abuse, the mother was pregnant with my client.  ... [read more]

Kaycee – Los Angeles, CA

An act of courage submission for the 1000 Acts of Courage campaign – a community-building conscious action campaign collecting one thousand courageous acts for the well-being, empowerment, and equity of girls and women

When working for a multi billion dollar company, I helped lead an organization to empower and enable women. We focused on raising visibility within the organization as well as personal development and opportunities for advancement, mentorship, and impact. When certain individuals wanted to focus on activities for women like making recipes, coffee conversation, or fashion, I redirected to business interests: finance and leadership. These skills help break stereotypes and create opportunities while recipe groups do not. The impact was that several women are now in leadership positions from that initiative. ... [read more]

ILLUMINATE Launches 1000 Acts of Courage Campaign

Our global community is in crisis – discrimination and violence against women (including all who identify as such) hurts us all. Across the United States and around the world, people are taking courageous actions EVERY DAY to expand and increase women’s safety, well being, and opportunities to contribute and influence our world.

Inspired by the film This Changes Everything, the 1000 Acts of Courage Campaign intends to give voice to the silence, to help people recall actions they have taken, and to share their courageous experiences that have interrupted the discrimination that exists against girls and women.  
... [read more]

ILLUMINATE One of the Top Festivals to Revitalize Your Soul in 2016

Sedona Launch PartyYou’ll not want to miss ILLUMINATE 2016 – the 3rd annual World Premier Festival for Conscious Film. We promise.

Huffington Post identified ILLUMINATE Film Festival as one of the Top 24 Worldwide Festivals  and Retreats To Revitalize Your Soul In 2016.  Read more

Picture you and the planet’s most talented conscious filmmakers, actors and thought leaders. All together. In one sacred space to celebrate and honor stories that will inspire, move and mesmerize you.

Oh, and did we mention you’ll not only meet incredible leaders in the conscious film industry, but you might just fall in love with yourself. Mind, body and soul.

We take human transformation seriously. But not too seriously. ILLUMINATE 2016 will showcase beautiful and evocative stories through film that will have you laugh, gasp, cry and down on your knees with gratitude.

Exclusively chosen films are about the expansion of humanity. You will expand.

Topics range in:

-Mind blowing science on the Mind-Body connection
-The Human Journey from all lenses
-The power of meditation and spirituality
-Secrets and Scientific learnings about our body and nutrition
-The world of art and uber creative expression
-Riveting stories about our planet; nature, herbs and sustainability

Are you ready for your life changing experience? Thought so! Can’t wait to see you at ILLUMINATE 2016.

ILLUMINATE Co-Presents “Heart of a Dog”

ILLUMINATE Film Festival features year-round screenings of conscious films and programs to keep your consciousness expanded throughout the year.

HEART OF A DOG, a film by Laurie Anderson is presented by Sedona International Film Festival in partnership with ILLUMINATE at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, in Sedona, Arizona on December 11-17, 2015.

HEART OF A DOG is shortlisted for the 2016 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for the upcoming Oscars. It is one of the top 15 documentaries of the year vying for one of the five nominations and going for the coveted gold statue.

Centering on Anderson’s beloved rat terrier Lolabelle, who died in 2011, HEART OF A DOG is a personal essay that weaves together childhood memories, video diaries, philosophical musings on data collection, surveillance culture and the Buddhist conception of the afterlife, and heartfelt tributes to the artists, writers, musicians and thinkers who inspire her.

Fusing her own witty, inquisitive narration with original violin compositions, hand-drawn animation, 8mm home movies and artwork culled from exhibitions past and present, Anderson creates a hypnotic, collage-like visual language out of the raw materials of her life and art, examining how stories are constructed and told — and how we use them to make sense of our lives.

Throughout HEART OF A DOG there are quotes, images and stories from other writers and artists, including Anderson’s late friend the sculptor Gordon Matta-Clark, the philosophers Ludwig Wittgenstein and Søren Kierkegaard, and author David Foster Wallace, whose evocative line “Every love story is a ghost story” was an initial working title for the film. Anderson’s late husband Lou Reed — to whom she dedicates HEART OF A DOG — provides a coda to the film with his song “Turning Time Around,” which plays over the closing credits.

Critics and audiences are raving about HEART OF A DOG:

“A celebration! One of the most invigorating and alive films of the year!” — RogerEbert.com

“Magical! One of the best films of 2015!” — San Francisco Chronicle

“Spellbinding! Smart, silly, sad and relentlessly honest! One of the most moving and provocative films you’ll see this year!” — New York Magazine

“Dreamy, drifty and altogether lovely! Wildly inventive! Philosophically astute and emotionally charged.” — The New York Times

Join us!