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Dir. Frauke Sandig and Eric Black - 2021 - 102m - No Matinees

FEATURING: MONICA GAGLIANO, Professor for Plant Behaviour & Cognition, University of Sydney, CHRISTOF KOCH, Chief Scientist, The MindScope Program, Allen Institute for Brain Science, MATTHIEU RICARD, Buddhist Monk, Molecular Biologist, Author, and Photographer, ROLAND GRIFFITHS, Director of Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Johns Hopkins University, RICHARD BOOTHBY, Professor for Philosophy and Author, Loyola-University, Maryland and JOSEFA KIRVIN KULIX, Mayan Healer and Therapist, Chiapas, Mexico.  Special Guest: MINGYUR RINPOCHE, Buddhist teacher and author.  Music by ZOË KEATING.

This new & fascinating documentary follows six brilliant researchers around the world who set out to discover the true meaning of consciousness, the world’s greatest unsolved mystery. Through radically different approaches, the cast of researchers takes the audience into a fascinating world of high-tech brain research, eastern meditation, psychedelics, consciousness of plants experiments, and eventually beyond the explicable. 

“Stirs feelings of awe and wonder, humility and connection. A remarkable film.” – Valerie Kalfrin, Alliance of Women Film Journalists

“Consciousness-elevating food for thought.” – Michael Rechtschaffen, Los Angeles Times  

"Stunningly Deep, Wise and Visually Arresting, the most Mind-Blowing Film the Maui Film Festival has presented in Twenty Years! -Barry Rivers Maui Film Festival Founder/Director

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Dir. Todd Haynes - 2021 - 120m

The Velvet Underground created a new sound that changed the world of music, cementing its place as one of rock 'n' roll's most revered bands. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Todd Haynes, "The Velvet Underground" shows just how the group became a cultural touchstone representing a range of contradictions: the band is both of their time, yet timeless; literary yet realistic; rooted in high art and street culture. The film features in-depth interviews with the key players of that time combined with a treasure trove of never-before-seen performances and a rich collection of recordings, Warhol films, and other experimental art that creates an immersive experience into what founding member John Cale describes as the band's creative ethos: "how to be elegant and how to be brutal."

It's that great, rare music documentary that meets its subject’s art with the same level of artistry. A fantastic movie on the iconic, justly revered band that created a new sound and changed the world of music, opened to strong reviews at Cannes, and is truly broader in scope than just the band – it looks at the larger art world that the VU sprung from in the mid-60’s.

"A brilliantly told story, which causes hearts to soar and break in equal measure. Haynes' evocation of the band, and the time is vivid and loving. If you love music then you'll love this film." - Jo-Anne Titmarsh, HeyUGuys

"Superb rock documentary." - Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

"The film features in-depth interviews with key figures of the time, never-before seen performances, an array of recordings, Andy Warhol films and much else to create an experience both instantly sensory and richly illuminating." - Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV

"It's a dark, disturbing and glorious film about a dark, disturbing and glorious band, and another sign that Haynes knows how to put music onscreen in a way that few other directors do." - Steve Pond, TheWrap

"An audacious move - but, perhaps unsurprisingly for a filmmaker operating on Haynes' level, it works." - Damon Wise, Uncut Magazine [UK]

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