Movie ‘Sedona’ explores metaphysical mysteries, Nature’s beauty, human heart

By Steve Hammons

Mysterious discoveries in quantum physics and one of Earth’s most beautiful, mystical spots merge with human consciousness and the human heart in the independent drama-comedy film “Sedona.”

This fun and visually-beautiful movie successfully captures and shares the wonderful “Red Rock Country” of central Arizona with viewers. Adventure, danger and important personal discovery await the main characters as they encounter Sedona, intentionally or by accident.

Or, are there hidden cosmic forces at work that have drawn them to Sedona for reasons they do not yet understand?  

The interconnectedness of our lives in time, space and place emerges in this film … the same kind of puzzling connections that physicists call “string theory” and “non-locality.” The “coincidences” that the movie’s characters experience also reflect the idea of “synchronicity” … that many coincidences are nothing of the sort but, rather, have meaning and purpose, and perhaps are part of a larger plan.  

Featuring a talented cast of seasoned film and TV actors, during 2012 “Sedona” was introduced to movie-lovers at film festivals throughout the country. In 2013, “Sedona” continues to be discovered and enjoyed by audiences through DVD, Blu-ray and On Demand via most cable and satellite providers.

A CHANGING REALITY

Writer-director-producer Tommy Stovall of Pasidg Productions (based in Sedona) brought the film’s cast and crew together in Sedona where they experienced the fantastic red rock formations and mountains, and possibly the interesting awareness and understanding that many people report. Stovall says local Sedona residents also helped in the production in many ways.

The main cast – Frances Fisher, Seth Peterson, Barry Corbin, Christopher Atkins, Matthew J. Williamson, Kylee Cochran, Tatanaka Means, Rachel Reenstra, Robert Shields, Lin Shayne, Beth Grant, Trevor Stovall and Rand Schwenke – as well as the supporting cast, thoroughly humanize the story.

In two separate story lines, Frances Fisher (Tammy) is a stressed-out advertising professional who takes a wrong turn (or the correct turn) to Sedona on her way to an important business meeting in Phoenix.

Meanwhile, Seth Peterson (Scott), also a preoccupied and tightly-wound attorney, his partner Matthew J. Williamson (Eddie) and their two young sons, Trevor Stovall (Denny) and Rand Schwenke (Jeremy), are on a planned vacation to Red Rock Country from San Diego.

Under seemingly random circumstances, they meet the other characters, Sedona locals: Barry Corbin (car mechanic Les), Kylee Cochran (auto repair shop employee Alana), Beth Grant (psychic pedicurist Deb), Christopher Atkins (coffee shop owner Pierce), Lin Shayne (apparently psychologically-challenged Claire) and Tatanka Means (local search-and-rescue member, Native American Chuck).

As the interactions between the characters develop and unfold, they are also interacting with the Sedona region – the community, the magnificent natural surroundings and the unseen elements that fascinate residents, visitors and people worldwide.

In fact, Stovall says, “We wanted Sedona itself to be a major character.”

SEDONA SPEAKS

Located at a “sweet spot” (elevation 4,500 feet) between the floor of the Arizona Sonoran Desert and pine-covered mountains, the Sedona area is regarded as having a near-perfect climate. Over past decades, dozens of movies of many genres have been filmed there.

Throughout the movie “Sedona,” Native American music and drumming provide additional emotional background and context, and help bring viewers into a significant aspect of the Sedona region – the Native American presence there reportedly dating back to 11500 B.C.

Stovall says, “We recorded some of them in a studio, but most of them out in Nature, including in some caves and some ancient Sinagua dwellings.” The Sinagua are believed to have lived in the area from 650 A.D. to about 1400 A.D.

Stovall adds, “The overall goal with the score was to sort of have the red rocks ‘speaking’ to the audience.” So, quite literally, the red rocks of Sedona are communicating to us.

At crucial times in the story, when tensions are high, danger is present, or characters’ emotions are in confusion and transition, Stovall uses fantastic aerial shots of the Sedona area to create an eagle-eye-view or God’s-eye-view of the larger scheme of things … of the magnificent larger beauty that the characters, and all of us, may not always be able to perceive in our day-to-day lives.

These scenes, too, like the music, seem to provide context to the challenges and changes that the humans far down below are experiencing.

The characters encounter and sometimes reluctantly embrace a kind of awareness in Sedona that is different from their previous viewpoints about life. Odd coincidences (or synchronicity), alternate ways of perceiving “reality” and mysterious energies in Nature seem to influence and guide the characters along a path of greater understanding and awareness.

They discover, or rediscover, what is important in life – family, love of and compassion for our fellow human beings, appreciation of the beauty of Nature and our connectedness with it, and perhaps a larger force at work on Planet Earth and in the Universe.

We don’t need to physically visit Sedona to learn these lessons. Scientists and researchers have clearly demonstrated that humans have the natural ability to perceive using a “sixth sense.” Call it hunches, instincts, intuition, extrasensory perception (ESP) or even "remote viewing" (used in U.S. defense and intelligence efforts). As understanding about this real part of human consciousness spreads, our lives on Earth and beyond will undoubtedly be enhanced – possibly in wonderful ways we can barely imagine.

The movie “Sedona” helps us on this journey. It takes audiences to a special place: a gorgeous place in central Arizona, a place within ourselves and a place that the human race is heading to, whether we fully realize it or not.

You can visit the "Sedona" movie website, learn more about the film and view the trailer at: http://www.sedonamovie.com/.