unRival Network

Changes at unRival: A Message from Suzanne Ross https://buff.ly/3V5eReR

At Justice Film Festival earlier this year, we selected Join or Die for the first ever unRival Network Award. I highly recommend this. Watch it. Then join a club. Then invite me. I’ll bring the snacks.

There’s this quote that has been ringing loudly in my mind these last few weeks that refers to the “creative life.” Perhaps that phrase will make you think of artists, of media and technology, of musicians. But creativity can be found in any place and in any action. Read The Call to Your Creative Life here: https://lnkd.in/eNEdzFnu

On Friday, Justice Film Festival and I launched the Film Lab Fall Intensive with its first-ever Cohort. The group is meeting virtually through November to experience each other in a non-rivalrous space where they can explore themselves as artists, develop their projects, receive deep, honest, respectful feedback on the challenges of their stories, and ultimately lay the groundwork for a long-term community of caused-based filmmakers. The stories being developed delve into the deep waters of race and religion, intergenerational trauma, genocide, and gender-based violence and inequality. Five participants are from various parts of the US. Two are from Africa. Facilitating groups like this is one of the most fulfilling, humbling, intimidating, energizing, and purpose-filled aspects of my career. There's a lot of change happening in my life (more on that in another post), so I'm personally very grateful to set out and journey on this road with these people. I'll learn as much from them as I could ever offer.

To the Future, Through the Past. ? How’s your memory? Is it good enough to get you where you long to go? Does the story that you tell of your own past end by pointing to the future you desire? In a traumatized brain, one’s memory is fragmented. When asked to share a cohesive story that relays a coherent narrative about the self, a traumatized individual will struggle. Rather than expressing meaning, continuity, or even causality, you may hear a story told episodically, chaotically, and with fuzzy edges. And it’s painful for the storyteller. When people experience healing, they begin telling their stories with structure and flexibility, with clarity and purpose, and with a sense that their past has prepared them for a better future. Chaos transforms into something more like gratitude. Pain softens into hope. Similarly, our collective journey creates a collective brain of sorts—a?public memory. Public Memory is shaped by collective experiences, stories, and symbols passed down through generations. Today, this “brain” of ours is increasingly fragmented. We don’t just have polarized views about the obvious things, but also polarized views about our past: what happened, what should be remembered, and how. There is a path forward, though. It is neither to bury the past, nor cling to it—whether with bitterness or pride. We must move through it collectively, as one would to heal from trauma. Therapeutic Research and Brain Science give us an approach. One such approach, practiced by my friend and mentor?Julia, is?The Immanuel Approach. Another, comes from?AEDP?therapy which has personally benefited me greatly. There are many other resources, and from them, I can give you 3 simple steps to practice healing right now. ? 1. Breathe deep and slow.? Relax your shoulders, neck, and jaw. Try?Box Breathing. Or simply breathe in for a 6 count, then out for 8. Do this for 1 minute or 10, but do it long enough that you notice a shift. Let your physiology notice that you are safe and at rest. ? 2. Practice appreciation. Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotional tools you will ever find. Learn to wield it against anxiety, fear, and rivalry by accessing it regularly. Dwell on it. Savor it. ? 3. Re-engage your body. Notice your environment. What can you see? What can you smell? What can you hear? Try not to enter into judgment—neither thinking “that’s good” or “this is bad.” Just witness. ? If you start with this, you’re becoming part of a movement towards a more peaceful world. There’s another step, though. And I’m not going to lie: it’s hard. You have to begin doing this with others. We are interdependent beings. Our desires and identities are borrowed, shared, and intermingled. To heal our communities, we must heal ourselves. And to heal ourselves, we must heal our communities. So breathe. Invite healing. Offer healing. Tell your story. Receive the stories of different others. This is the way.

Next week, unRival?is launching?The Film Lab Fall Intensive,?a free?virtual program designed to support and connect filmmakers who are actively working on a justice film project.? We have selected eight?bright, vibrant?filmmakers from the U.S., Rwanda, and South Africa. Their projects span across diverse topics and perspectives—and yet they all envision a more just and peaceful world. You’ll want to be tuned in as their careers blossom. Don’t miss the opportunity to get in from the beginning. Please consider making a donation to?The Film Lab: https://buff.ly/4eIcqqe By contributing as little as $50, you join us in supporting the next generation of justice filmmakers as they craft unique, diverse, and profoundly transformative stories!

?? New Future of Film Podcast Episode! ?? ??Jeff Gomez & Billy Price: New Narratives of Reconciliation Join this conversation about peace, reconciliation and innovative storytelling featuring Jeff Gomez CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment and Billy Price who is Creative Director of unRival Network, the non profit organisation dedicated to empowering peacebuilders and the process of peacebuilding across the world. During Future of Film Africa 2024, Jeff and Billy discuss their unique collaboration and how they are applying a new modality of storytelling that champions reconciliation and understanding. In particular, we learn about process of peacebuilding and the concept of 'Just Peace' - and how Jeff's work in developing 'Collective Journey' narratives intersects with and supports this activity. This episode was recorded as part of Future of Film Africa 2024 in partnership with Sèmè City of the Republic of Benin. ?? Episode Highlights: ?? How Collective Journey Storytelling Supports Reconciliation ?? Practical Strategies for Transmedia Narratives ?? Why Diversity in Storytelling is a Massive Opportunity ?? How - and why - to build Expansive Story Worlds ??? The reconciliation process and the Meaning of Just Peace Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/efrvAbQn Listen on Apple: https://lnkd.in/ewSM4Pwx #Podcast #Storytelling #Cinema #Activism #Transmedia #SocialChange #DiverseVoices #Narratives #PeaceBuilding #JeffGomez #BillyPrice #Unrival #JusticeFilmFestival

In his latest post on the unRival blog, Lyle Enright reflects on the unRival Art and Peace Cafe at the 2024 Colloquium on Violence and Religion in Mexico City, where Artisans of Peace alumni invited attendees to see and experience each other in new ways.

Tomorrow is the "Create Hope Together: The Art of Collaboration" online event! Don't miss this chance to transform your approach to working together and connect on a deeper level at UN Action Days as part of Arts for the Future Festival. Have you registered yet? If not, click here to sign up: https://buff.ly/3XLXSQK Join us with IMPACT and Artists with Elbows for a reflective journey into the deeper dimensions of collaboration. This event will go beyond the basics, exploring collaboration as a mindful practice that grounds us, sharpens our self-awareness, and clarifies our purpose.

Yesterday, I posted about a film project that is 1 of the 2 big things on my grindstone in the coming months. The other is a Film Lab Intensive that will be running as a partnership between unRival Network and Justice Film Festival. I'm currently finalizing the list of participants and I'm thrilled with how all of them have shown up to the process so far. I also got to talk a bit with unRival's founder, Suzanne, about the plan for this work on the unRival Spaces podcast. Listen here (or wherever you pod yourself): https://lnkd.in/eAZdRT-i