Schedule:

Morning Meditation: 9:00 - 9:45 AM

Join PALMA Colectiva and Giuliana Mottin for a unique 45-minute meditation experience designed to ground you and cultivate clarity as you begin your day. Imagine immersing yourself in the serene atmosphere of an art gallery, transformed into a tranquil forest sanctuary. Giuliana Mottin, the artist in residence will guide you through a gentle meditation, allowing the calming energy of the space and the natural imagery to soothe your mind and body with a sensory experience.

Art & Soul, 1323 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA

Hive Deep Dive: 10:15 - 11:15 AM

ILLUMINATE Interim Executive Director Kia Kiso leads an industry conversation about where we go next as conscious media creators.

IFF Hub (28 Vic), 28 W Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, CA

Finding Happy preceded by Circle of Grace, followed by Reel Integration: 10:30 AM - 12:15 PM

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. 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. Followed by an in-person Reel Integration at 28 Vic: Intuitive Animal Connection with Jamie Wozny (not available in Virtual Festival)

Runtime: 73 minutes
Director: Maria Bertrand

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 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.

Runtime: 13 minutes
Director: John Behring

The New Vic Theatre, 33 W Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, CA

The Art of Integration: A Heart-Centered Journey into Quantum Expansion with Matt & Joy Kahn: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Films have a unique way of stirring our souls—awakening emotions, sparking revelations, and inviting us to see the world through new eyes. But how do we take these profound insights beyond the screen and truly integrate them into our lives? In this immersive workshop, Matt and Joy Kahn will guide you through Quantum Expansion (QUE), a powerful mindfulness experience designed to help you embody the wisdom, healing, and transformation sparked by the films you’ve encountered. Through a heart-centered practice, you’ll learn how to ground these cinematic awakenings into real, lasting change—clearing old patterns, expanding your creative flow, and stepping into a life of deeper alignment. Stay for an interactive Q&A session for greater support throughout your personal journey. If you’re ready to turn inspiration into transformation, this is your moment to step into the magic.

IFF Hub (28 Vic), 28 W Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, CA

The Dalai Lama's Gift & Discussion Panel: 1:00 - 3:10 PM

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, 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.

Followed by panel Tantra: Imagining What You Can Be with director Ed Bastian, Losang Samten, Vesna Wallace and moderated by Téana David

Feeding Tomorrow & Discussion Panel: 4:00 - 6:15 PM

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 and regenerative food system in their communities - giving rise to a new global vision of Feeding Tomorrow.

Followed by panel discussion Nourishing the Now with filmmakers and moderated by Geoff Green

Runtime: 88 minutes
Director: Oliver English, Simon English

The New Vic Theatre, 33 W Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, CA

The Journey & Micro-Shorts Finalists & Awards & Reel Integration: 7:30 - 9:30 PM

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, 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.

Followed by Reel Integration: Isaac & Thorald lead us in a Collective Song Creation

Runtime: 55 minutes
Director: Erik Felderhof, Aaron David Thomas

The New Vic Theatre, 33 W Victoria Street, Santa Barbara, CA

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