The Heartland Film Festival starts this weekend in Indianapolis.  This festival is devoted to Truly Moving Pictures and films that inspire.  It was started 16 years ago and has grown in prestige.  Last year 600 films were submitted and only 25 were selected.  A couple years ago the winning film, August Rush, starred Robin Williams.  This year marks the first time a major studio has had its North American premiere in Indianapolis with the film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.  The movie tells the story of the Holocaust from the perspective of a German boy who doesn’t realize Jews in a nearby concentration camp are prisoners.

The clip below is an interview with Heartland’s president Jeff Sparks taken from a local news show.  The first two minutes of the clip are a bit of sketch comedy and the last few minutes is a substantive interview with the President and Director of Operations of the Heartland Film Festival.

The latest docu-drama about how to achieve wealth and happiness is Quest for Success.  This movie stands out because it stars todays leading business and spiritual leaders including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Sir Richard Branson, the Dalai Lama, Marci Shimoff, Jack Canfield and Russell Simmons.  Lili Fournier, producer of the award winning Quest series on PBS, is one of the creators of the movie.  The trailer is below.

Fireproof is proof that a faith-based movie on a low budget can reach a wide audience and perform well at the box office.  The surprise hit this fall stars former teen idol, Kirk Cameron, and is about a firefighter fighting to save his marriage.  Although a limited release of 839 screens, the movie performed well enough to finish 4th at the box office and earned an estimated 13.6 million.  This isn’t bad considering the budget was only $500,000 and the cast consists primarily of volunteers from a local church. 

The creators, Alex and Stephen Kendrick said they prayed to God for an idea that would impact the culture.  The idea for Fireproof came to Alex when he was jogging.  The message that he tried to convey is that marriage is worth fighting for even when faced with “fire”.  Cameron says,  “This is a movie that gives people hope that they can save their marriages — that love in the end won’t fail- if you pour your heart and your time and your energy into things that really matter.”

You can watch the trailer below.

In The Peaceful Warrior movie, Nick Nolte plays Socrates, one of the main characters who represents the ultimate mentor.  The movie is based on a true story, but many of the scenes cause the viewer to wonder if what they were watching actually took place.  In the link to the video below, Dan Millman discusses his interaction with the real Socrates.  Millman says that Socrates really does exists.  He met him at a Texaco gas station at 3:00 in the morning when he was in college.  If that isn’t a twist of fate, then I don’t know what is.  Millman never to my knowledge has revealed Socrates true identity.  Although probably more important than Socrates’ true identity, is the archetype of teacher that he embodies.  Every person needs a mentor.  Some people find a guru in their Higher Self and others seek out actual teachers at various stages throughout their life.  The video clip below is an enlightening analysis of Dan Millman’s interaction with his mentor, Socrates.

http://www.danmillman.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=69&Itemid=69

If you have a vision board, then you will love Mind Movies.  Mind movies takes the idea of a vision board to the next level by offering “vision movies” or mind movies as they refer to them.  The website listed below provides free premade visualization movies for attracting money, health, positive relationships with your friends and family, finding the ideal husband or wife, and spiritual growth.  There is a movie for each particular topic.  Each movie combines numerous images, appropriate music and affirmations for the major areas of your life.  They are high quality, entertaining and inspirational.  For more information, you can visit the site

http://www.mindmovies.com/vid2/DownloadVid2.html

Dr. Wayne Dyer is teaming up with Emmy Award winning director Michael Goorjan to help make the movie, Ambition to Meaning.  Dr. Dyer explores the spiritual journey from ambition to meaning with three real life examples.  The film tells the story of an overachieving business man, mother of two seeking her own expression in the world, and a director trying to make a name for himself.  It premieres Jan. 8, 2009 in Los Angeles.  All proceeds from the event go to the Left to Tell Charitable Fund.  Tickets for the premiere are available at http://www.hayhouse.com/event_details.php?event_id=622.

The Compass which premieres in February 2009 looks like it could be a successful follow up to The Secret.  Its stars include John Assaraf, Dr. Joe Vitale, Dr. John Demartini, Jerry Conti and Marie Diamond.  There is not much information about this movie yet.  But there is a brief trailer of it on YouTube and a behind the scenes making of it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qbUSWXWKCQ.  The video clip is 8 minutes long and shows Joe Vitale preparing for his scenes.

  Paulo Coelho’s book The Alchemist is going to be adapted into a movie.  Harvey Weinstein will be the producer and Laurence Fishburne is attached to star and direct.  Shooting starts a year from now. 

The Alchemist is an inspirational fable about a Spanish shepherd, Santiago, who sets out on a quixotic quest to find a treasure at the Egyptian pyramids.  Along the way he learns various spiritual lessons.  The lessons he learns include the importance of paying attention to the signs in our life and that it is our responsibility to follow our dreams because that is how we become in integrity with our soul. The most famous line in the book is:

“When you want something, all the Universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” 

 The book has sold more than 30 million copies and is currently number seven on the New York Times bestseller list for paperback fiction.  Coelho has been hesitant to adapt his book into a movie because the producers who have approached him have attempted to add violent war scenes to his book that have nothing to do with its message or plot.  However, Coelho agreed to allow Harvey Weinstein adapt his book because Weinstein will stay true to Coelho’s messages about simplicity and spirituality.

       The Invocation is a new film that asks how God has been active throughout our history of violence and separation.  The movie looks  to various religious leaders and peacemakers from across the globe for insights.  Many of them point that one universal belief from people across all religions is a belief and faith in something greater than the material world.  Dan Millman, author of The Peaceful Warrior, who is in the film says that having faith is believing that everything is happening for our best and highest good even if we do not understand.  The movie is set to be released in October

You can watch the trailor on YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-tbQ8Lof7A

Mike Myers is coming out with a new comedy, The Love Guru, this summer June 20.  The Love Guru is about an American, Guru Pitka (Myers) who is left at the gates of an Ashram in India as a child and raised by gurus.  He returns to the US seeking fame and fortune in the world of self-help and spirituality.   According to the website, his karma is huge.  Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake and Deepak Chopra also make appearances in the movie.

This movie is taking advantage of the viral nature of the Internet with video clips on YouTube, a Myspace page, Facebook page, and a blog by Guru Pitka on Intentblog.  This movie and some of its viral marketing has already raised controversy as it pokes fun at Eastern spiritual traditions.  Interestingly enough, Deepak Chopra, who is an advocate for Eastern philosophies, is in the movie and also makes jokes about some of the stereotypes associated with himself and other Eastern mystics.  Chopra also hosts the blog for Guru Pitka at his website, http://www.intentlbog.com 

The humor in the movie is just that.  It is simply humor.  The movie reminds us not to take ourselves so seriously and that life is capable of being a cosmic playground for us to enjoy, laugh at and have fun.

You can watch the trailer of The Love Guru at http://www.lovegurumovie.com/