Created to inspire hope, optimism, and bring people together in a nation deeply divided, the film is an urgent reminder that it is our collective responsibility to cherish and preserve the fragile American experiment…
Simantini is a documentary filmmaker and a technologist. Her recent film joyful won 18 awards and has screened in 22 countries across 6 continents. joyful has won awards for Best Short Film, Best Editing, Audience Award, Best Cinematography and Best Inspirational Film. It has received international distribution across many channels including Virgin Atlantic fleet wide, SBS Australia, JLTV and many others, and will soon be available on streaming networks around the world.
The film’s co-director is Godfrey Reggio. He is an acclaimed filmmaker best known for his groundbreaking trilogy of Qatsi films, with Koyaanisqatsi being the most well-known. Well-known composer Philip Glass collaborated with Godfrey on several films which emphasize the power of the moving image as a catalyst for social and cultural change. Godfrey’s latest film Once Within a Time, was produced by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s 11, Ocean’s 13, Erin Brockovich and others). The film had its world premiere at Santa Fe International Film Festival in October 2022 and the festival awarded him the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Godfrey was awarded the prestigious Dragon of Dragons award in February 2024 by Kraków Film Festival.