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