Have you ever wanted to spend an evening watching something more meaningful, thought provoking or inspiring than what is on regular TV?

Well this week, I spent Monday night watching 4 films that I could actually enjoy and reflect upon in a way that brought more meaning, insight and joy to my life.

I put in Spiritual Cinema Circle’s DVD and started watching I Could Be Your Grandmother, a short film based on a true story that is full of heart-warming human Spirit. When an old homeless woman comes to live outside a big ad executive’s apartment in Paris, he risks everything he has worked for just to make sure she has a better life. And in the process, he finds his TRUE CALLING. This film helped me realize that there really are good people in the world who have a sincere desire to help those who are less fortunate.

I also watched a short film called Visiting Hours, a visually stunning, intimate portrait of a husband and wife making the most important decision of their lives. You’ll ask yourself, what would I do in their position? And maybe their decision will remind you that TRUE LOVE really is possible!

The third short film I watched was Dream the Life, a hilarious and charming Australian movie about a waitress who gets to meet the movie star of her DREAMS! And when he ends up owing her a huge favor, he can make her wildest fantasies come true…but will her fantasy prove BETTER than her reality? This film sparked me to rethink the role that serendipity might play in my life and how the people we ‘accidentally’ meet might be able to help us learn some unexpected lessons about ourselves.

The feature film, Make Believe, is a documentary that takes you behind the scenes as you meet the most dedicated and talented young magicians in the world as they prepare for the ULTIMATE magic competition in Las Vegas.

Some of these teens have been practicing magic for 5 hours a day since they were 8 years old! Watch how this incredible dedication became a passion for them, and see how much FUN they have together as they discover the happiness of the belonging to a world of INTRIGUE and WONDER.

These films are part of Spiritual Cinema Circle volume 7. Spiritual Cinema Circle is the only film club of its kind. Every month you can expect to see films that have been handpicked from festivals all over the WORLD. These are movies that won’t come to your local cinema, so this is the ONLY way you can watch them.

And the films are yours to keep FOREVER!

You can start your free trial today by clicking here.

A powerful film directed by Emmy Award winner Janet Grillo (Autism: The Musical) FLY AWAY narrates the story of Jeanne and her autistic teenage daughter, Mandy. Jeanne has cared for Mandy since the day she was born, growing closer every day to a child who is charmingly offbeat one moment and nearly impossible to manage the next. In the dog park, Jeanne encounters Tom, an easygoing and accepting neighbor who sparks a romantic interest, but she finds juggling Mandy’s care and her own career leaves little room for a new man. As the pressures of work and her child’s needs increase, she must decide whether or not to enroll Mandy in a therapeutic residential facility. Over the course of a few weeks, Jeanne is confronted with the most difficult decision a parent can make: to let go, allowing her child to grow, but also grow apart; or to hold on tight and fall together.

Fly Away is the type of movie that makes you feel better about being alive because it shows the kindness and goodness that we are capable of even in the midst of the most trying situations. As I watched it, I was also deeply touched by how the movie honors the humanity and innate spirit of the autistic daughter and shows that the mother and daughter’s loving and very real bond transcends the difficulties that autism can create between two people.

I recently had a chance to interview Janet about her film and here is what she had to say…

Matthew: Why did you make Fly Away?

Janet: I wrote and directed a short film about a single mother of a son with mild autism getting through the day. As I toured film festivals with it over the course of a year, many parents of kids on the Spectrum saw it and invariably asked if I was going to make it into a feature. I started to understand they were asking PLEASE make this into a feature. To share our experience. There is a fundamental human need to be validated, heard and seen through storytelling. I knew I was the one who COULD tell this story, and came to feel I had a responsibility to; those who can, must.

Also, I needed to validate myself as a mother, person and filmmaker through this project. FLY AWAY is the only fiction feature film about parenting a child on the spectrum of autism to be written/directed by the parent of a child on the spectrum. Although my own son is very mildly impacted (and after over a decade of intense intervention is emerging out of the diagnosis), I chose to depict a teenager with severe autism.

First of all, that level of the range of autism has never been dramatized in films or tv. Until now, Hollywood has depicted mild autism or Aspergers. But according to the CDC, more people with autism in US are moderately to severely impaired. These are the people for whom autism is a disability, preventing them from functioning independently. They will need full time care through the course of their adult lives, after their families and caregivers have passed. What will happen to the 800,000 people with currently diagnosed with autism when they age out of school systems but can not live on their own? It’s a tsunami wave of need. If we don’t share the dimensions of that need with our society, how can we expect them to meet it? To advocate and support our population?

FLY AWAY dramatizes the day to day life of those who live with the challenges of autism in an unflinching, unsentimental way. We tell the truth in hopes that moving hearts will move minds will move money! And provoke compassionate, committed support and acceptance for all people on the spectrum, and those who live with, care for and love them.

Fly Away Trailer from Fly Away on Vimeo.

Matthew: What sort of response have you received?

Janet: We have had an overwhelmingly positive embrace from both critics and the autism community. We were very fortunate to have all the major journals review us: NY TIMES, LA TIMES, HUFFINGTON POST, NEW YORK OBSERVER, etc.. And gave us wonderful praise, including suggesting Academy Award Nominations, which was a kick! But more importantly, other parents have rallied around FLY AWAY, expressing gratitude for and identification with the film.

With hope, FLY AWAY is providing a service for our community, and in some way building community. We have also been embraced by people whose lives are not touched by autism; they relate to the film as an authentic and engaging drama of the human heart. As a film on its own terms. Which is very gratifying to me as a filmmaker.

Matthew: Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you or Fly Away?

Janet: Although FLY AWAY is an intense journey, it is not a downer! Critics have called it:

“Gripping…engaging…entertaining…funny… inspiring.”

Ultimately, FLY AWAY is a love story. Between a parent and a child. It’s about what love calls us to, and how we rise to the occasion because the heart is infinitely large and flexible. So the film is, likewise, filled with love, fun and joy. As well as struggle. It ends on a note of hope. In other words, audiences don’t have to be afraid of watching it! It will NOT bum you out!

For more information on how you can watch Fly Away please click here.

Filmmaker Jen McGowan — whose short film “Touch” appears in this month’s volume of Spiritual Cinema Circle — will be available to answer your questions in a live video chat on Spiritual Cinema Circle’s Facebook page on Wednesday from 11:00am – 12:00pm PST. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to connect and interact with a talented and visionary director whose films illustrate the beauty of life in truly unexpected ways.

IMDB describes the storyline for Touch as “An ode to city life, Touch explores themes of isolation and the universal need for community when two strangers make the most important connection of their lives while waiting for a train.”

Touch began its festival run winning at the Oscar-qualifying Florida Film Festival.

Last week I flew out to Boulder Colorado to be filmed for the Spiritual Cinema Circle movie review discussion with Stephen Simon and Janet Grillo. This was my first time ever on camera. So, I was a little anxious. But, Spiritual Cinema Circle and Gaiam helped make the whole experience absolutely wonderful.

Spiritual Cinema Circle paid for my airfare, hotel, food, and even provided me with a limo driver to pick me up at the airport, hotel and take me back to the airport. Thursday morning, I arrived at their studio at Gaiam unsure what to expect. But, from the moment I arrived to the moment I left, everyone there made me feel incredibly welcome and at home.

I was able to meet all of the great people and staff who make Spiritual Cinema Circle work so well and even took a tour of Gaiam (Thank you Suzanna and Jessica!). Then, Stephen Simon walked in the studio and I started to feel kind of nervous. Stephen Simon is an Academy Award winning producer, one of my favorite filmmakers and someone who I have always admired. I remember watching his movie, What Dreams May Come, a few years ago and being very inspired by it. So, it was a bit surreal for me to actually meet Stephen in person. However, he greeted me with such a friendly and down-to-earth welcome that I felt like I could just relax, be myself and enjoy the whole experience.

After getting ready to be on camera, I was getting more excited for the actual movie discussion which would be filmed and distributed to all of the members of the Spiritual Cinema Circle. None of this was rehearsed or prepared which made the actual questions and conversation that much more lively, fresh and authentic.

Stephen, Janet and I chatted about 4 films for an upcoming volume of the Spiritual Cinema Circle. I especially enjoyed discussing Janet’s film Fly Away, which is about a single mother raising her autistic daughter. I was deeply touched by how the movie honors the humanity of the autistic daughter and shows that the mother and daughter’s loving and very real bond transcends the difficulties that autism can create between two people. Having the chance to talk to Janet about how her film was inspired by her experiences raising an autistic son made the whole experience that much more meaningful for me.

Fly Away is the type of movie that makes Spiritual Cinema Circle so special. Spiritual Cinema Circle is a DVD club that features inspirational films about courage, love, family and truth seeking. For more information about the Spiritual Cinema Circle, please click here .

Life and Death Matters Film Festival is a film festival that explores matters of life and death through film.

They believe that media can positively inspire us to question the way we live and the way we die. Their films question paradigms in a way that also leaves audiences with a sense of HOPE. The LADmatters Film Festival features films on the physical and spiritual challenges we face while highlighting the courage and triumph of the human spirit.

Beyond their provocative and entertaining films, what makes their film festival unique is the community events, educational presentations, seminars and interactive workshops available around the festival.  They screen films that will open your hearts and minds.

The 2011 Festival dates are September 1 – September 4. They are currently accepting film submissions and soliciting for sponsorship for their 2011 festival. For more information, visit http://www.ladmatters.com/

Would you ever consider quitting your job to travel to Egypt and follow your dream?

Well, that is exactly what happens in Whatever Lola Wants, a movie about an American postal worker (Lola) who travels to Egypt to take belly dancing lessons from a legendary instructor.

Whatever Lola Wants is an adventurous tale about the ups and downs of following your dream. In the beginning of the film, Lola has a calling deep inside of her to be a belly dancer. Something within Lola is asking her to act on this desire and move to Egypt. However, Lola initially questions her calling and believes she must keep her stable job as an American postal worker. Eventually, though, with the encouragement of her friends and an attractive Arab man she falls for, Lola is inspired to quit her job and move to Egypt to become a belly dancer.

After Lola gets to Egypt, we watch her wrestle with her personal fears and try to overcome some difficult external obstacles that come her way. As we witness Lola struggle with the inner and outer challenges of following her dream of pursuing dance, we begin to wonder if Lola will discover what she really wants.

While taking the viewer on a fun and thought-provoking ride, the movie suggests that our dreams that originate in our hearts are calling out to us for a very definite reason. However, we may not initially know exactly what that reason is, where that dream will take us and the type of impact we might have on others when he have the courage to follow through on our heartfelt desires.

This movie prompted me to ask myself:

1. “What are my dreams and are they worth pursuing?”

2. “Do I have the courage to follow my dreams when I don’t know exactly where they might lead me?”

3. “What type of person would I become if I do NOT follow my dreams?”

Moreover, this movie inspired me to realize that while our external dreams may come true, the true joy of following our dreams is transforming into the type of person we can become — only by going through the hero’s journey of venturing from the safety of the known to the magic of the unknown and the mysterious adventure that awaits us when we follow through on our heartfelt dreams and most authentic callings.

Whatever Lola Wants is the feature film for Volume 5 of the Spiritual Cinema Circle. To watch the trailer of Whatever Lola Wants or to learn more about Spiritual Cinema Circle click here .

Other films for Volume 5 of the Spiritual Cinema Circle include Mary Anne Goes to the Market, Beautifully Esther and TiMER (for international subscribers only).

In TiMER. Oona is convinced that she will meet her soulmate through the help of a TiMER, a technological implant that will tell her when she meets “the one.” TiMER raises the question:

“What if you knew when a romantic relationship was meant to be?”

Mary Anne Goes to the Market, The Piano and Beautifully Esther are short films ranging from 9 to 23 minutes that all ask the interesting question – What is Love? To watch the trailer for these films or to learn more about Spiritual Cinema Circle click here .

SOUL SURFER is the inspiring true story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack and courageously overcame all odds to become a champion again, through the love of her family, her sheer determination and unwavering faith. The film features an all-star cast, including AnnaSophia Robb and Helen Hunt, with Carrie Underwood in her film debut, and Dennis Quaid. It is currently playing in theaters across the country.

Spiritual Cinema Circle’s feature film in April is The Godchild. The Godchild is a magical and metaphysical movie about a brilliant young student who takes his teachers on a journey through time and space in search of his mysterious godmother.

If you have ever had a transpersonal experience where you felt the love of a family member or friend who has passed away, tried to reconnect with that person and then wondered what that communication meant, then you have got to see the Godchild.

The movie is about a young boy who accesses the inner most resources of his consciousness to reconnect with his lost godmother. At times, this takes him to places that defy science’s current three-dimensional understanding of reality. However, the young boy’s experience of trying to reconnect with his lost grandmother is very real to him — and to his friends, teachers and doctor who witness him in these heightened states of perception.

Watching these scenes prompted me to reflect on some challenging
questions such as:

Is it possible to connect with loved ones who have passed away?

If it is possible to connect with loved ones who passed away, then what are we supposed to learn from that experience?

How should that transpersonal experience and heightened perception of a different dimension affect the way we live our daily life here on earth right now?

This movie is also a deeper reflection on faith and trust. Even, if these types of spiritual phenomenon do exist — where we can communicate with loved ones who passed away, then there are still many BIG questions about life left unanswered. Without being preachy, the Godchild suggests that while some things about life can not be understood and certain questions can never be answered with a logical explanation, having faith and trust can provide us the strength and insight we need to carry us through life’s greatest challenges.

The Godchild is the feature film in April’s Spiritual Cinema Circle’s DVD. Other films on this months DVD include short films (CUBEd and My Life A Trailer) and an in-depth interview with Neale Donald Walsh, bestselling author of the Conversations with God books. In that interview Walsch reveals little known facts about his 7 wives and 9 children plus many more personal details about his life.

You can watch these films for $4.95 if you click here .

The most under rated movie of 2010 was Conviction.

Conviction is the TRUE story of Betty Anne Waters (played by Hilary Swank), a high school drop out who spent 18 years working as a single mother while putting herself through law school, tirelessly trying to beat the legal system and overturn her brother’s (Sam Rockwell) unjust murder conviction.

Well, after 18 years of one legal and personal setback after another, Betty finally gets her brother, Kenny Waters, freed from prison…Please let me repeat that:

It took Betty 18 years of working towards her goal to free her brother, Kenny, from prison for a crime he did NOT commit! Imagine working 18 years working towards a goal while experiencing one ‘failure’ after another…

To me, this is an inspiring example of what many great spiritual teachers describe as being TOUGH MINDED and TENDER HEARTED…

Betty was committed to freeing her brother from prison no matter how long it took and no matter what obstacle she had to go through. This type of commitment requires a very tough-minded individual –- someone who will remain committed to their goal NO MATTER WHAT…

My favorite scene in the movie is when Betty’s then husband tries to tell Betty that it is okay that her brother is in prison and she should stop wasting her time trying to free him. Betty’s then husband says to her: (after Betty had spent close to 10 years trying to free her brother):

“Why don’t you accept that your brother will be in prison for the rest of his life and there is nothing you can do about it?”

Betty fires back with fierce determination in her voice and says:

“I WILL NEVER ACCEPT THAT!”

This is often the necessary level of commitment and tough-mindedness that it takes to achieve our goals and carry out our destiny. In order to truly accomplish our life missions, we must cultivate a mindset that we MUST accomplish our goal and NEVER accept anything short of that….

What drove Betty to have this type of strength and determination?

I believe it was the ability to infuse her tough-mindedness with a tender heart and the innocent love she had for her brother. Throughout the movie, we see that Betty’s desire to free her brother is pure, innocent and comes from the love that she has for her brother. Betty and Kenny have a bond of love between them that drives Betty to continue to help her brother no matter what setback presents itself.

This is very impressive to watch and helped me realize that when we infuse a tender heart into our mind, then it becomes much easier to remain committed to our goals and mission in life, especially in the face of adversity. Watching the movie prompted me to ask myself:

What is really motivating me to move forward and pursue my dreams?

If we can shift to a space of innocent love for others, our self and our God-given missions in life, then that unadulterated love can help us develop the necessary tough-mindedness, spiritual power and personal resiliency to persevere through any challenge and carry out our life missions.

While on vacation a disconnected family gets stranded near mystical Mt. Shasta and gets more than they could have ever bargained for. A family drama expands into a spiritual mystery, finally growing into a mystical adventure in Dreams Awake Movie.

Dreams Awake – Official Trailer from Way To Go Media on Vimeo.