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Conscious Life Film Festival - February 8 – 10, 2008 By Jan 2, 2008, 10:39 PST

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Films are taking on new directions in Hollywood. Not everything is about blowing up buildings, seeing who can out-gruesome the next director, or giggles and chuckles. There are a few filmmakers, who have decided to tackle some of the more interesting questions in life, and those filmmakers appear to be converging in Los Angeles for the Conscious Life Film Festival, which will take place at the LAX Hilton, 5711 West Century Boulevard, Los Angeles from February 8-10, 2008

The films are metaphysical, socially conscious, and oriented towards health and healing. They offer a mystical appreciation of the universe, contemplate the latest themes in new science and physics, and communicate profound messages from indigenous peoples and visionary thinkers.

The festival opens on Friday Feb. 8, at 3:00 PM with Walter Cruttendom's "The Great Year," narrated by James Earl Jones. The film shows how ancient cultures around the world believed that history moved in vast cycles of time. This film received the Conscious Life Film Festival's Silver Award. Films focusing on the indigenous people, who offer transcendent visions for the future of humanity, include "Shamans of the Amazon" and "Bushmen of the Kahlahari," about the San community whose once thriving culture is now facing extinction.

Several films focus on our origins and place in the cosmos. "Signs Out of Time: The Story of Archaeologist Marija Gimbutas," directed by Donna Read & Starhawk, is the dramatic story of renowned archaeologist Dr. Marija Gimbutas. It explores her work on the Neolithic woman-honoring cultures of Old Europe, where Goddess-worshiping and egalitarian civilizations flourished. "In Search of the Future," produced by Andrew Cameron Bailey and Connie Baxter Marlow is a bold synthesis of information, uniting ancient prophecy and indigenous wisdom with cutting-edge science.

"Arlington West," a Silver award-winning socially conscious film, directed by Peter Dudar and Sally Marr, portrays the Veterans For Peace's temporary cemetery on the beaches of southern California and shows the human cost of war never seen in the media. A sneak preview of Paula Fouce's Gold award- winning documentary "Not in God's Name," portrays a world ravaged by extreme divisions between religions. It features Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa, Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, Dr. Karan Singh, Ph. D., Georg Feuerstein, Ph. D., and leaders of many faiths. The Director will be present for a Q & A after the screening.

Two new films about healing one's life include "Lost and Found in Mexico," a quirky and compelling look inside the hearts and minds of expatriots who abandoned the American dream for more authentic lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Caren Cross, Director, received a Gold Award for her film. "You Can Heal Your Life" is an entertaining and inspirational movie hosted by best-selling author Louise L. Hay and directed by Emmy award winner Michael Goorjian. It gives penetrating insights into Hay's fascinating life story and also explains the connection between our personal belief system and physical ailments.

A panel on "The Future of Conscious Filmmaking," takes place on Sunday, Feb. 10th from 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM. This panel asks whether "conscious films" – which explore human potential and the nature of reality, and which inspire people to create a better world – can ever have the popularity of films geared towards pure entertainment. Panelists will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this genre and will consider ways in which it can survive and continue to grow. The panel will be moderated by Celeste Allegrea Adams, who is the Director of the Conscious Life Film Festival. Celeste is a multi- award winning Author, Screenwriter, Documentary Narration Writer and Story Consultant. She wrote "Keepers of the Dream" and is currently producing a book / film "The Alphabet of Peace" and "Startribe."

There are six panelists. Leila Conners Petersen is Director, Writer and Producer of "The 11th Hour," the feature-length documentary with Leonardo DiCaprio and 54 leading thinkers and scientists about the state of the world and the state of the human condition. Drew Heriot is an Australian born Director who made his feature film debut with "The Secret" (2006), which became the highest selling DVD in the USA and pioneered a new trend in cinema. Pamela Jaye Smith is a Writer, Speaker, Consultant, award-winning Producer-Director and Founder of Mythworks. She is the author of "Inner Drives," and "The Power of the Dark Side" which comes out in May. David Wilcox is the Executive Producer, Creative Director and Co-Writer of "Convergence: The Movie," due out in late 2008. David is also the subject and co-author of the international bestseller, "The Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce", which explores the remarkable similarities between David Wilcox and Edgar Cayce. Mikki Willis created the Elevate Festival of Film and Music and is the recipient of the Conscious Life Film Festival's "Film Humanitarian Award." He is a multi award-winning director/photographer/writer. Mikki directed one of the shorts, included in the festival screenings, from the Elevate Film Festival, starring Scott Cervine, who received the Conscious Life Film Festival's Indigo Award as Spiritual Humorist.

An Award Ceremony and Artist Reception immediately follows the Film Panel on Sunday, 4:30 – 6:30 PM. A $15.00 Film Pass will allow you complete access to all the films over the entire weekend, plus Sunday's Film Panel on "The Future of Conscious Filmmaking," the Awards Ceremony and Artist Reception. For further information, please visit: www.consciouslifeexpo.com

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