Sedona International Film Festival and
ILLUMINATE Film Festival presents….

ILLUMINATE Sedona! 2026

Films That Light the Way. Experiences That Transform.

September 25–27, 2026 | Sedona, Arizona

An indoor theater venue during an ILLUMINATE Film Festival presentation featuring author and speaker Gregg Braden, with a full audience.

ILLUMINATE returns to Sedona for an unforgettable three-day celebration of conscious cinema, connection, and transformation!

Our centerpiece event brings together the acclaimed film THE CYCLE OF LOVE and the Oneness of Humanity Micro-Shorts Showcase & Awards—15 extraordinary finalist micro-films selected from nearly 700 submissions across 67 countries, with more than 80,000 audience votes cast and $25,000+ in prizes awarded—followed by a festive After-Party celebrating filmmakers, storytelling, and our shared humanity.

Discover new possibilities for healing, consciousness, and human potential through FREQUENCY: THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING. Go deep in an intimate transformational workshop with internationally acclaimed author and spiritual teacher Anita Moorjani.

Hosted by the Sedona International Film Festival, ILLUMINATE Sedona! is three days to be moved, inspired, connected, and transformed.

ILLUMINATE Film Festival
ILLUMINATE Film Festival
ILLUMINATE Film Festival
ILLUMINATE Film Festival
ILLUMINATE Film Festival
ILLUMINATE Film Festival

FridaySeptember 25

4:00–5:30 PMShine Sedona

The Power of Frequency – A Sacred Sound Bath Ceremony

Start off your ILLUMINATE weekend with an immersive sound journey that releases tension, calms the mind and relaxes the body.

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VenueShine Sedona DateFriday, September 25 · 4:00 PM Price$70
Begin your ILLUMINATE weekend with an immersive sound journey led by Cheryl Bailey, exploring the healing power of frequency through vibration, presence, and deep relaxation. Experience the healing power of sound frequencies as they radiate through your body, initiating relaxation, healing, alignment, consciousness, and coherence within your energetic, physical, and emotional fields. This is your invitation to slow down, soften, and reconnect with yourself through the power of sound, vibration, and presence. Cheryl’s sound journeys are immersive experiences designed to support the nervous system, calm the mind, and create space for deep rest, emotional release, and inner connection. Using crystal alchemy bowls, gong, meditation chimes, crystal harp, monochord, rain stick, and intuitive vocals, she guides participants through a meditative journey where sound becomes the pathway inward. The frequencies and vibrations gently move through the body, helping release tension, quiet mental noise, and restore balance. Many participants leave feeling lighter, clearer, deeply relaxed, and more connected to themselves. You don’t have to “do” anything during this sacred experience except receive. Allow the frequencies to bathe your body, calm your mind, and reconnect you with your natural state of harmony.

6:30–7:00 PM (Private Filmmaker Event)

Filmmaker Welcome

Filmmakers, speakers, sponsors, and special guests gather for an intimate meet-and-greet celebrating the launch of ILLUMINATE Sedona! and the beginning of an inspiring weekend of conscious cinema.

7:15–8:45 PMShine Sedona

The Power of Frequency – A Sacred Sound Bath Ceremony

Start off your ILLUMINATE weekend with an immersive sound journey that releases tension, calms the mind and relaxes the body.

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VenueShine Sedona DateFriday, September 25 · 4:00 PM Price$70
A second opportunity to experience Cheryl Bailey’s immersive Sacred Sound Bath Ceremony. Reserved spots are available for invited filmmakers and special guests, with additional tickets available to the public.

SaturdaySeptember 26

Morning (Private Filmmaker Event)

‘HOW’ WE CREATE SHAPES ‘WHAT’ WE CREATE: A Filmmaker Roundtable

Learn the "secret sauce to storytelling" from award-winning filmmakers Dana Croschere and Krisanna Sexton of Rescued Hearts

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Invitation Only

What makes people care enough about a film to help fund it, share it, and become part of its journey? Through the award-winning documentary Rescued Hearts, filmmakers Krisanna Sexton and Dana Croschere explore the unconventional choices that helped them build genuine community, attract funding, reach audiences around the world, and transform lives. More than a filmmaking conversation, this session asks what becomes possible when the way you create is as meaningful as the film itself.

About the Filmmakers

Dana Croschere and Krisanna Sexton are award-winning filmmakers, life partners, and the force behind their production company, Live Wild Films, which is dedicated to authentic storytelling as medicine for the heart. After navigating major life shifts, from Dana's journey through two major spine surgeries and chronic pain to Krisanna's path of coming out and embracing her full truth, they channel their lived experiences into conscious filmmaking. Their first feature documentary, Love Heals, continues to reach audiences worldwide on PBS and Gaia, and their newest film, Rescued Hearts, dives into the profound healing impact of the horse-human connection. Together, they have dedicated their lives to creating films that spread more love, hope, and healing.

Morning (Private Filmmaker Event)

Filmmaker Brunch

Filmmakers find their tribe, exchange ideas, share insights, spark new collaborations, and strengthen the growing global movement of conscious cinema.

6:30 PMSedona Performing Arts Center

Cycle of Love Gala Screening, Micro-Shorts Awards and After Party

Experience 15 powerful 90-second films from around the world, then show with your applause which should win as $25,000+ in prizes are awarded live on stage. Then, in The Cycle of Love, follow one man’s extraordinary 6,000-mile journey as he risks everything to follow his heart—an epic true-life odyssey about the enduring power of belief.  Executive produced by Priyanka Chopra.

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VenueSedona Performing Arts Center DateSaturday, September 26 · 6:30 PM Price$25

Join filmmakers, visionaries, and audiences for ILLUMINATE Sedona's signature evening—a celebration of powerful storytelling, human connection, and transformation. The evening features our internationally acclaimed Oneness of Humanity Awards, a remarkable feature presentation, filmmaker appearances, and a festive after-party celebrating the power of love.

Oneness of Humanity Micro-Shorts Showcase & Awards

One of the most anticipated events of the weekend, the Oneness of Humanity Micro-Shorts Showcase & Awards celebrates the extraordinary power of storytelling in just 90 seconds.

This year's competition attracted nearly 700 submissions from 67 countries, with filmmakers around the world sharing inspiring stories of compassion, resilience, hope, and our shared humanity.

From those entries, 15 exceptional finalist films have been selected for screening during this special event. More than 80,000 audience members cast votes for their favorite films while a distinguished panel of industry professionals selected the festival award winners.

Experience all 15 finalist films on the big screen before more than $25,000 in cash prizes are awarded onstage, recognizing some of the world's most inspiring emerging filmmakers.

In just ninety seconds, these extraordinary films remind us that powerful stories know no boundaries—and that even the shortest film can leave a lasting impact.

Micro-Short Finalists

1-800-LOVE-YOU by Daniel Maggio & Lauryn Lingenfelter

Cookieman by Jorrit Van Der Kooi

Deep Yearning by Dustin Jones

Dream Feed by Graham Walzer

Kindred Spirits by Ella Faye Donley

One Beat by Mingdi Li

Recharged by Andy Duong

Recycle For Life by Michael Indjeian

Soil Song by Rachel Kolar McCord

Somewhere in Between by Maia Hawkins-Litvin

Stitching Hearts by Jungmin Hong

The Seeds We Inherit by HARI KAPOOR

To Have Ever Been by Sa'Koya Riggs

Walk of Generations by Delaney Mann

Wildcat by Justin Gazzillo

Centerpiece Feature Presentation

The Cycle of Love

Directed by Academy Award® winner Orlando von Einsiedel (The White Helmets) and executive produced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, The Cycle of Love is a moving true story that celebrates the mysterious interplay of destiny, intuition, synchronicity, and the unseen forces that shape our lives.

After receiving a mysterious prophecy from an astrologer as a young boy, PK, a 23-year-old gifted artist from one of India's poorest "untouchable" families, spends years wondering if his destiny has already been written. Armed with little more than a handful of paintbrushes and a second-hand bicycle, he ultimately embarks on a remarkable 6,000-mile cross-continent mission to find Lotta, the woman he believes is destined to love.

Part epic adventure, part spiritual journey, and part timeless love story, THE CYCLE OF LOVE is an inspiring, heart-warming, epic true-life odyssey about the ultimate search for self-belief and what happens when we risk everything for what your heart tells you.

The film received widespread acclaim following its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, where it was recognized as a festival favorite by RogerEbert.com.

Following the screening, enjoy a special conversation with the filmmakers as they share the remarkable true story behind the film and the extraordinary journey of bringing it to the screen. (Filmmaker participation may be in person or via remote connection.)

"Oneness of Humanity" Micro-Shorts Finalists

1-800-LOVE-YOU Cookieman Deep Yearning Dream Feed Kindred Spirits One Beat Recharged Recycle For Life Soil Song Somewhere in Between Stitching Hearts The Seeds We Inherit To Have Ever Been Walk of Generations Wildcat

9:30 PMSPAC LobbyIncluded with Gala

After-Party Celebration

Cap off an inspiring evening by celebrating with filmmakers, award winners and fellow festival guests. Enjoy an unforgettable music experience, a delicious dessert display, and good conversation as we celebrate the power of the heart.

SundaySeptember 27

9:30–11:00 AMMary D. Fisher Theatre

The Frequency of Healing: A Transformational Workshop with Anita Moorjani

Discover the insights behind Anita Moorjani’s extraordinary near-death experience and recovery from end-stage cancer—and how we can awaken our capacity for healing.

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VenueMary D. Fisher Theatre DateSunday, September 27 · 9:30 AM Price$125

Join internationally acclaimed author and spiritual teacher Anita Moorjani for an immersive exploration of healing, consciousness, and the transformative power of living authentically. Discover how the frequency we embody—through our thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and intentions—shapes our experience of health, relationships, and life itself.

Drawing on the extraordinary insights from her near-death experience during a coma in the final stages of cancer, Anita shares how releasing fear, self-judgment, and the pressure to be someone other than ourselves can open the door to greater health, freedom, joy, and connection. Through personal stories, practical wisdom, and guided experiential practices, she invites participants to reconnect with their inner knowing, align with the frequency of love, and live more fully and fearlessly.

Together, we’ll explore profound questions: What happens after death? How are we connected to loved ones who have passed? What is the true nature of consciousness? Anita offers an expansive perspective on the continuity of life beyond the physical realm and the interconnectedness of all beings.

The workshop also explores the body’s innate wisdom and capacity for healing, revealing the connections between physical health, emotional well-being, self-love, authenticity, and the energy we bring to our lives.

Whether navigating health challenges, grief, or personal transformation—or simply seeking a deeper understanding of ourself and reality—this inspiring journey offers practical tools and transformative insights for living in greater resonance with our true self and the unseen field of connection that unites us all.

Anita will be presented with ILLUMINATE’s Conscious Visionary Award.

12:00 PMMary D. Fisher Theatre

Frequency: The Secret of Everything

What if everything is frequency—and learning to work with it could transform how we heal, connect, and thrive?  Experience the groundbreaking film, then go deeper in a live Q&A with filmmaker Kaia Roman and Anita Moorjani.

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VenueMary D. Fisher Theatre
DateSunday, September 27 · 12:00 PM
Price$20

A film about who we are, what we’re made of, and how we can harness frequency to transform the world.

Frequency: The Secret of Everything is an urgent exploration into emerging technologies that could fundamentally change how we heal, connect, and thrive.

Filmmakers Kaia Roman and Zappy Zapolin investigate groundbreaking frequency technologies alongside leading scientists, physicians, innovators, and consciousness researchers whose work challenges conventional understandings of health, energy, and the nature of reality.

If everything is frequency… what becomes possible when we learn to work with it?

Featuring influential voices of our time, including Dr. Joe Dispenza, Anita Moorjani, Gregg Braden, Bruce Lipton, Lynne McTaggart, Veda Austin, and JJ and Desiree Hurtak.

Live Q&A with Kaia Roman and Anita Moorjani

Immediately following the 12:00 PM screening, join filmmaker Kaia Roman and Anita Moorjani for a thought-provoking discussion exploring the film's discoveries, the science of frequency, consciousness, healing, and the extraordinary possibilities that emerge when science and human potential intersect.

Anita Moorjani

Anita Moorjani is a New York Times bestselling author and internationally acclaimed speaker whose extraordinary journey from end-stage cancer to profound healing has inspired millions of people around the world. 

In 2006, after a four-year battle with cancer, Anita fell into a coma and was given only hours to live. During a near-death experience, she encountered an overwhelming sense of love, freedom, and clarity—and gained profound insights into the nature of life, death, and human potential. When she returned to her physical body, her cancer began to heal with astonishing speed, and within weeks she was released from the hospital without evidence of the disease. 

Anita’s bestselling memoir, Dying to Be Me, chronicles this remarkable experience and the transformation that followed. Today, she travels internationally sharing the wisdom she gained from her journey, offering a message that reaches beyond any particular religious or spiritual tradition: that we are far more powerful and magnificent than we often believe, and that living authentically requires releasing fear, self-judgment, and the pressure to become who others expect us to be. Her teachings explore self-love, consciousness, intuition, purpose, and the profound connection between our inner lives and the way we experience the world.

At the heart of Anita’s work is a simple but transformative invitation: to choose love over fear and to embrace the fullest expression of who we are. 

Kaia Roman

Kaia Roman is an award-winning filmmaker, bestselling author, journalist, entrepreneur, and lifelong explorer of human potential. 

With a career spanning more than two decades in Silicon Valley, health, technology, and sustainability, Kaia has worked with organizations including Google, Twilio, Salesforce, Doctor On Demand, and the United Nations Foundation. She is the author of The Joy Plan, a bestselling guide to the neuroscience of joy, and the writer, co-director, and producer of Frequency: The Secret of Everything.

Kaia is driven by a belief in the transformative power of stories to change lives and expand our understanding of what is possible. Her film Frequency takes audiences on an investigative journey into frequency, exploring emerging technologies and ideas about energy, consciousness, health, and the nature of reality. The documentary features leading voices including Dr. Joe Dispenza, Bruce H. Lipton, Gregg Braden, Lynne McTaggart, Anita Moorjani, Michael B. Beckwith, and Veda Austin.

At the heart of Kaia’s work is a desire to bridge science and spirituality through curiosity, storytelling, and a willingness to question conventional ways of understanding ourselves and the world. Through Frequency and her broader body of work, she invites audiences to expand their perception of reality and consider new possibilities for how we heal, connect, and thrive.

7:00 PMMary D. Fisher Theatre

Encore Presentation — Frequency: The Secret of Everything

What if everything is frequency—and learning to work with it could transform how we heal, connect, and thrive?  Experience the groundbreaking film, then go deeper in a live Q&A with filmmaker Kaia Roman, Anita Moorjani and Rizwan Virk.

More Information
VenueMary D. Fisher Theatre
DateSunday, September 27 · 7:00 PM
Price$20

Encore Presentation

A film about who we are, what we’re made of, and how we can harness frequency to transform the world.

Frequency: The Secret of Everything is an urgent exploration into emerging technologies that could fundamentally change how we heal, connect, and thrive.

Filmmakers Kaia Roman and Zappy Zapolin investigate groundbreaking frequency technologies alongside leading scientists, physicians, innovators, and consciousness researchers whose work challenges conventional understandings of health, energy, and the nature of reality.

If everything is frequency… what becomes possible when we learn to work with it?

Featuring influential voices of our time, including Dr. Joe Dispenza, Anita Moorjani, Gregg Braden, Bruce Lipton, Lynne McTaggart, Veda Austin, and JJ and Desiree Hurtak.

Live Q&A with Anita Moorjani and Rizwan Virk, and virtually with filmmaker Kaia Roman

Stay after the film for a special conversation with filmmaker Kaia Roman (virtually), Anita Moorjani (in person), internationally bestselling author and spiritual teacher, and Rizwan Virk (in-person), MIT computer scientist and author of The Simulation Hypothesis: An MIT Computer Scientist Shows Why AI, Quantum Physics and Eastern Mystics All Agree We Are In A Video Game.

Anita Moorjani

Anita Moorjani is a New York Times bestselling author and internationally acclaimed speaker whose extraordinary journey from end-stage cancer to profound healing has inspired millions of people around the world. 

In 2006, after a four-year battle with cancer, Anita fell into a coma and was given only hours to live. During a near-death experience, she encountered an overwhelming sense of love, freedom, and clarity—and gained profound insights into the nature of life, death, and human potential. When she returned to her physical body, her cancer began to heal with astonishing speed, and within weeks she was released from the hospital without evidence of the disease. 

Anita’s bestselling memoir, Dying to Be Me, chronicles this remarkable experience and the transformation that followed. Today, she travels internationally sharing the wisdom she gained from her journey, offering a message that reaches beyond any particular religious or spiritual tradition: that we are far more powerful and magnificent than we often believe, and that living authentically requires releasing fear, self-judgment, and the pressure to become who others expect us to be. Her teachings explore self-love, consciousness, intuition, purpose, and the profound connection between our inner lives and the way we experience the world.

At the heart of Anita’s work is a simple but transformative invitation: to choose love over fear and to embrace the fullest expression of who we are. 

Kaia Roman

Kaia Roman is an award-winning filmmaker, bestselling author, journalist, entrepreneur, and lifelong explorer of human potential. 

With a career spanning more than two decades in Silicon Valley, health, technology, and sustainability, Kaia has worked with organizations including Google, Twilio, Salesforce, Doctor On Demand, and the United Nations Foundation. She is the author of The Joy Plan, a bestselling guide to the neuroscience of joy, and the writer, co-director, and producer of Frequency: The Secret of Everything.

Kaia is driven by a belief in the transformative power of stories to change lives and expand our understanding of what is possible. Her film Frequency takes audiences on an investigative journey into frequency, exploring emerging technologies and ideas about energy, consciousness, health, and the nature of reality. The documentary features leading voices including Dr. Joe Dispenza, Bruce H. Lipton, Gregg Braden, Lynne McTaggart, Anita Moorjani, Michael B. Beckwith, and Veda Austin.

At the heart of Kaia’s work is a desire to bridge science and spirituality through curiosity, storytelling, and a willingness to question conventional ways of understanding ourselves and the world. Through Frequency and her broader body of work, she invites audiences to expand their perception of reality and consider new possibilities for how we heal, connect, and thrive.

Dr. Rizwan Virk

Dr. Rizwan Virk is a computer scientist, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, bestselling author, indie film producer, futurist , professor and video game industry pioneer. He is a graduate of MIT and Stanford, and is currently at Arizona State University’s Center for Science and the Imagination and the Future of Being Human Initiative.  His areas of expertise include science fiction, technological innovation, AI, video games and more.

Dr. Virk’s startups have created software used by many of the Fortune 500 and have produced video games, including Tap Fish and Penny Dreadful: Demimonde, which have been played by millions.  He was the founder of Play Labs @ MIT, a startup accelerator at the MIT Media Lab, and is a venture partner at Griffin Gaming Partners, one of the largest VC funds dedicated to video games. 

Dr. Virk, the bestselling author of The Simulation Hypothesis, is considered one of the world’s experts in simulation theory and its overlap with science, technology, religion and philosophy. His other books include Wisdom of a Yogi, The Simulated Multiverse, Startup Myths & Models, Treasure Hunt and Zen Entrepreneurship.  He has appeared on the world's largest podcasts, including The Joe Rogan Experience and Armchair Expert, and has written articles on the future of science, tech and media for NBC News, CNN, Scientific American, The Telegraph, TechCrunch and Fast Company.

Experience ILLUMINATE

ILLUMINATE Sedona is more than a film festival—it's a transformational gathering where cinema becomes a catalyst for inspiration, healing, authentic conversation, and meaningful human connection.

Throughout the weekend, audiences will experience award-winning films, visionary filmmakers, immersive healing experiences, thought-provoking discussions, transformational workshops, and opportunities to connect with a vibrant community committed to creating a more conscious and compassionate world.

Join us for an unforgettable weekend where powerful stories illuminate new possibilities—for ourselves, our communities, and our shared future.

A Warm Thank You to...

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