
2025 Film Guide
Explore our curated selection of conscious films for the 2025 ILLUMINATE Film Festival. From award-winning documentaries to inspiring narratives, our film guide showcases stories that elevate consciousness and inspire positive change. Discover transformative cinema from around the world, screening in-person in Santa Barbara (May 1-4) and online (May 5-11).

Wisdom of Happiness
Perfectly attuned to our times, this intimate heart-to-heart with the world's greatest ambassador of compassion is an unforgettable, meditative experience for the 21st Century. In what is likely to be his last film appearance...
Read MorePerfectly attuned to our times, this intimate heart-to-heart with the world's greatest ambassador of compassion is an unforgettable, meditative experience for the 21st Century. In what is likely to be his last film appearance, The Dalai Lama unlocks a door to genuine, lasting happiness and reveals that every one of us holds our very own key to it in the palm of our hand.
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Rescued Hearts
Personal stories and scientific study illuminates the profound and often miraculous connection between humans and horses. Inspired by a life-changing moment—when a nonverbal boy diagnosed with autism spoke his first words while interacting with a horse...
Read MorePersonal stories and scientific study illuminates the profound and often miraculous connection between humans and horses. Inspired by a life-changing moment—when a nonverbal boy diagnosed with autism spoke his first words while interacting with a horse—filmmakers Dana Croschere and Krisanna Sexton seek to uncover the deeper meaning behind this extraordinary bond. Through moving stories and expert insights, Rescued Hearts reveals how horses help us heal and reconnect—with ourselves, each other, and all of nature.
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Wolf's Message
Wolf's Message is the powerful true story of Michael "Wolf" Pasakarnis, who was struck and killed by lightning and left profound evidence that he knew how, when, and where it would happen. With the help of evidence-based medium...
Read MoreWolf's Message is the powerful true story of Michael "Wolf" Pasakarnis, who was struck and killed by lightning and left profound evidence that he knew how, when, and where it would happen. With the help of evidence-based medium Suzanne Giesemann, the film offers undeniable proof of consciousness beyond the physical body and challenges our understanding of life, love, and the soul's eternal journey.
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Between The Mountain And The Sky
Maggie Doyne, an American woman in her 20s, joins forces with a once-orphaned Nepalese man to open a children's home, a women's empowerment program, and a school for orphaned youth in Nepal...
Read MoreMaggie Doyne, an American woman in her 20s, joins forces with a once-orphaned Nepalese man to open a children's home, a women's empowerment program, and a school for orphaned youth in Nepal. Shortly after being named a CNN HERO, she faces a devastating loss, forcing her and her family of over fifty Nepalese children to find resilience in the face of loss and seek hope in even the darkest moments.
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The Dalai Lama's Gift
In 1981, the Dalai Lama performed a historic Kalachakra Tantra initiation in Wisconsin, marking Tibetan Buddhism's arrival in America. Thousands gathered, a temple rose in weeks...
Read MoreIn 1981, the Dalai Lama performed a historic Kalachakra Tantra initiation in Wisconsin, marking Tibetan Buddhism's arrival in America. Thousands gathered, a temple rose in weeks, and a new spiritual foundation was laid in the West—captured on film, then locked away in the Smithsonian. Now, this never-before-seen footage is revealed, immersing viewers in a forgotten chapter of spiritual history that shaped a generation and still resonates today.
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Feeding Tomorrow
Up against a broken food system suffering from ecosystem destruction, climate change, health epidemics, and inequality, a brave group of visionary leaders in agriculture, healthcare, and education work to build a more just...
Read MoreUp against a broken food system suffering from ecosystem destruction, climate change, health epidemics, and inequality, a brave group of visionary leaders in agriculture, healthcare, and education work to build a more just and regenerative food system in their communities - giving rise to a new global vision of Feeding Tomorrow.
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Finding Happy
In the spring of 2020, Maria, whose life had been crashing down around her, was looking for a beacon of hope. Then, one day while she was out for a run, she spotted an injured one-day-old sparrow lying on the ground...
Read MoreIn the spring of 2020, Maria, whose life had been crashing down around her, was looking for a beacon of hope. Then, one day while she was out for a run, she spotted an injured one-day-old sparrow lying on the ground. She picked him up, intending to help him, not realizing how much he would help her and that he would become that sliver of hope she, and so many others, needed.
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Fools' Paradise (Lost?)
How do we heal ourselves through reconnection to the natural world? Immersed in the experiences recounted by writers, artists, environmentalists, adventurers, therapists, and activists, we delve into scientific inquiry...
Read MoreHow do we heal ourselves through reconnection to the natural world? Immersed in the experiences recounted by writers, artists, environmentalists, adventurers, therapists, and activists, we delve into scientific inquiry around topics such as personal action, sustainable business and life practices, nature therapies, and how we need and use nature to regenerate ourselves and our planet.
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The Heart Revolution
A journey through life, from before our first heartbeat to beyond the last, playfully exploring what our heart is all about. In every chapter of life, from pregnancy to birth, learning to walk and talk, going to school...
Read MoreA journey through life, from before our first heartbeat to beyond the last, playfully exploring what our heart is all about. In every chapter of life, from pregnancy to birth, learning to walk and talk, going to school and using our brains, falling in love, becoming parents, growing old, and dying, our heart plays an overlooked yet existential role. If you think your heart is only a pump, you're in for a big surprise.
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The Journey
Musical brothers Isaac and Thorald Koren guide brave participants struggling with personal hardships to break free from emotional barriers through an immersive, music-driven experience. Each guest embarks on a profound voyage of self-discovery...
Read MoreMusical brothers Isaac and Thorald Koren guide brave participants struggling with personal hardships to break free from emotional barriers through an immersive, music-driven experience. Each guest embarks on a profound voyage of self-discovery, shedding old narratives and finding healing through song, rhythm, and raw creativity, proving that transformation isn't about changing appearances—it's about embracing the music within. From Executive Producer, SIA.
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Seen
The transformative power of personal healing for parents and the impact it can have on our children's brain development is explored with authenticity and rigor. Through the unfiltered narratives of real parents and experts in the field...
Read MoreThe transformative power of personal healing for parents and the impact it can have on our children's brain development is explored with authenticity and rigor. Through the unfiltered narratives of real parents and experts in the field, Seen promises not just compelling storytelling but the potential for profound societal impact. Together, we are illuminating the path toward emotional liberation and healthier connections—with both ourselves and our children.
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Turtle Walker
In the late 1970s, Satish Bhaskar embarked on an epic journey along India's coastline and the spectacular Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where he uncovered the vital nesting beaches of sea turtles. During his death-defying quest...
Read MoreIn the late 1970s, Satish Bhaskar embarked on an epic journey along India's coastline and the spectacular Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where he uncovered the vital nesting beaches of sea turtles. During his death-defying quest, he unravels mysteries surrounding these enigmatic ocean creatures – and sets out to save them from extinction. After a devastating tsunami strikes in 2004, Bhaskar grapples with a pressing question: What happens to sea turtles when their nesting beaches disappear?
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Arema
"If you listen to nature, it will lead the way…" Elder Gagaj Taimanav. Steeped in symbolism and no larger than a child's hand, the diminutive bird known as the Armea is found in only one place on Earth: the Pacific island of Rotuma...
Read More"If you listen to nature, it will lead the way…" Elder Gagaj Taimanav. Steeped in symbolism and no larger than a child's hand, the diminutive bird known as the Armea is found in only one place on Earth: the Pacific island of Rotuma. After years away, Rako Pasefika returns to Rotuma with elders and community to revitalize ancient stories and connect with the land and ocean.
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Cham
Every winter, monks across India travel to the Thiksey Monastery to participate in a ceremonial dance called Cham, a sacred ritual transporting viewers into the divine realm.

From God To Man
On the day that Lansana Mansaray was born, a tree was planted in his name in his father's Limba village. Now an Emmy and Peabody nominated filmmaker, Mansaray returns to the same village to better understand...
Read MoreOn the day that Lansana Mansaray was born, a tree was planted in his name in his father's Limba village. Now an Emmy and Peabody nominated filmmaker, Mansaray returns to the same village to better understand the essential relationship that Limbas share with the trees that define every aspect of community life.
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Gath & K'iyh: Listen to Heal
Gath and K'iyh: Listen to Heal is a poetic exploration of a community-led creative arts project aimed at understanding and restoring our relationship with gath (king salmon) and k'iyh (birch) relatives as we navigate our feelings around climate change in Alaska...
Read MoreGath and K'iyh: Listen to Heal is a poetic exploration of a community-led creative arts project aimed at understanding and restoring our relationship with gath (king salmon) and k'iyh (birch) relatives as we navigate our feelings around climate change in Alaska. Guided by the wisdom of Ahtna Elder Fred John, it invites viewers to pause, listen, sing and dream together and ask how we might be in better relationship to the natural world around us.
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Ink Fish
A young composer, struggling to create a melody, finds unexpected inspiration from a silent squid, awakening her to the hidden vibrations of the world. The film unfolds like a song, building through discord and discovery toward a powerful crescendo, revealing how unseen rhythms shape the music of existence.

Lisa Dahl: Blessed By Grace
Lisa Dahl: Blessed By Grace shares the inspiring journey of chef/restaurateur Lisa Dahl, who turned personal tragedy into a thriving culinary career in Sedona, Arizona. After the devastating loss of her son Justin, who was murdered in the 1990s...
Read MoreLisa Dahl: Blessed By Grace shares the inspiring journey of chef/restaurateur Lisa Dahl, who turned personal tragedy into a thriving culinary career in Sedona, Arizona. After the devastating loss of her son Justin, who was murdered in the 1990s, Lisa found healing through cooking. In 1995, she moved to Sedona and opened Dahl & DiLuca as a tribute to Justin. Over 30 years, she expanded to six acclaimed restaurants, each dedicated to preserving Justin's memory.
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Mother Father Blood
A young Dayak Iban girl growing up in the forests of central Borneo follows ancient connections to earn the gift of a story – how her community united to stop logging companies and government officials from taking their lands amid rampant deforestation.

Sunyata
A sound engineer is looking for the meaning of silence.

Tahnaanooku'
A grandmother. A source of existence. A portal to other worlds. For thousands of years, the Indigenous Peoples of what is now known as North and South Dakota co-existed reciprocally with the Missouri River, its waters offering life while also inspiring legends...
Read MoreA grandmother. A source of existence. A portal to other worlds. For thousands of years, the Indigenous Peoples of what is now known as North and South Dakota co-existed reciprocally with the Missouri River, its waters offering life while also inspiring legends and languages. In Tahnaanooku', filmmaker Justin Deegan takes an experimental approach to the severing of this relationship between his community — the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara — and the river, the result of over 80 years of US government efforts to control the Missouri, including via the Garrison Dam.
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We Going Home Now
Ngarridurndeng Kured (We Going Home Now) follows Dean Yibarbuk, his family and community as they return to their traditional homeland in Kuwarddewardde – the rock country – to help protect their territory from devastating wildfires...
Read MoreNgarridurndeng Kured (We Going Home Now) follows Dean Yibarbuk, his family and community as they return to their traditional homeland in Kuwarddewardde – the rock country – to help protect their territory from devastating wildfires and reestablish their communities and support their families' and way of life.
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Enchanted Matter: The Art of Robert Powell
A genre-bending exploration of the Himalayas, Tantric Asia and the Nature of Art itself. An idealistic young architect's improbable journey of self-discovery manifests a life of true love and enchantment...
Read MoreA genre-bending exploration of the Himalayas, Tantric Asia and the Nature of Art itself. An idealistic young architect's improbable journey of self-discovery manifests a life of true love and enchantment. Magician of pen and brush, Powell's insatiable curiosity for shamanism, Tibet, and ancient artisan cultures transforms his jaw-dropping paintings into matter that may forever change the way you view inanimate objects.
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Suffering Into Gold
When Paul Gralen is diagnosed with ALS he makes the brave decision to use legally available methods to end his own life. At first, his wife Beth is scared to lose him, but together they go on a guided psilocybin journey...
Read MoreWhen Paul Gralen is diagnosed with ALS he makes the brave decision to use legally available methods to end his own life. At first, his wife Beth is scared to lose him, but together they go on a guided psilocybin journey and ultimately lose their fear of death. Beth reaches out to William Peters, the world's leading expert on the Shared Death Experience (SDE), to begin the process of SDE training in order to have a conscious and loving end-of-life experience.
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Circle of Grace
During her 17th birthday party, Grace Fisher is struck with a polio like virus that left her fully paralyzed from the neck down. Circle of Grace takes a journey into her imagination as she paints a stunning image...
Read MoreDuring her 17th birthday party, Grace Fisher is struck with a polio like virus that left her fully paralyzed from the neck down. Circle of Grace takes a journey into her imagination as she paints a stunning image merely with a paintbrush attached to an apparatus in her mouth. Grace also composed the score for the film using that same technique, one note at a time.
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My Father - The Healer
A docudrama about a Chinese QiGong Master who grew up in brutal conditions during the Cultural Revolution in Maoist China, where he had to keep his gifts a secret. He eventually fled to the West and developed a significant following...
Read MoreA docudrama about a Chinese QiGong Master who grew up in brutal conditions during the Cultural Revolution in Maoist China, where he had to keep his gifts a secret. He eventually fled to the West and developed a significant following but also experienced a crushing fall from Grace. While he'd helped thousands to heal themselves from terminal diseases, he'd neglected to heal himself––from his own ancestral trauma.
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