Movies & Meaning

Storytelling, Light, and Community • Making a Better World

This April 26-28, 2018, at the lovely Diana Wortham Theatre in Asheville, North Carolina, we will gather and hear from special guests Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Color Purple; Brian McLaren, author and theologian; and Gareth Higgins, film critic and Irish peace activist. We’ll screen seven movies, hear seven stories, and participate in seven activities proven to nurture community, restore hope, and build a bridge to the kind of world so many of us seek. We’ll do it in the setting of one of the most beautiful and creative small cities in the world, in a lovely theatre, surrounded by fantastic restaurants, places to stay, and the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains. We’ll make new friends, see astonishing big screen art, and pick up fuel for the journey of living more whole in uncertain times. 

OUR MOST RECENT FESTIVAL TOOK PLACE IN FEBRUARY 2020.

THE PRE-FESTIVAL WORKSHOP WAS TITLED RE-WRITING YOUR LIFE

SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS OF THE 2020 GATHERING, AND WE HOPE TO ANNOUNCE THE 2022 EVENTS SOON

A Special pre-festival creative retreat: Re-Writing Your Life, with acclaimed author Kathleen Norris, Irish storyteller & peace activist Gareth Higgins, and writer Jasmin Pittman Morrell

Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville
36 Montford Ave, Asheville, NC 28801

Our Speakers

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Kathleen Norris

New York Times bestselling author of Dakota, The Cloister Walk, and Amazing Grace

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Buddy Wakefield

Three-time world poetry slam champion

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David LaMotte

Beloved singer/songwriter

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Jasmin Pittman Morrell

Writer & Organizer

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Gareth Higgins

Irish storyteller and peace activist

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Micky ScottBey Jones

Nonviolence practitioner and contemplative activist

A rare opportunity... An intimate workshop... A step on the path to a better world... With a small group of fellow travelers, guided by writers, artists, teachers and activists... 

When a caterpillar is in chrysalis, the not-yet-butterfly cells are called imaginal cells. This workshop is an opportunity to spend time with your imaginal self. Transformation requires imagination. Re-writing Your Life is a space in which we imagine a different outcome, a different self, a different world. 

In the presence of fellow travelers, with the leadership of poets, activists, spiritual directors, and distinguished figures in the world of creativity and justice, personal and group transformation, this retreat offers medicine to the soul, tools for change, and a community of hope. Re-writing Your Life is led by Irish storyteller and peace activist Gareth Higgins, with special guests Kathleen Norris, Buddy Wakefield, and Micky ScottBey Jones, hosted by writer and organizer Jasmin Pittman Morrell.

It is not a performance but a participative event where you’ll have opportunities for self-reflection, small group work, silence and conversation. You don’t need to be an expert in anything - all we ask is an open heart. This workshop is offered in partnership with the Movies & Meaning Experience, happening later the weekend in downtown Asheville, NC. 

See www.moviesandmeaning.com for more information - you can register on this site for both Re-writing Your Life and Movies & Meaning, or just one of the two events. There is special pricing to register for both events.

Workshop Schedule

THURSDAY EVENING

7pm: Reception followed by a reading from Kathleen Norris, poetry from Buddy Wakefield, and storytelling from Gareth Higgins, hosted by Jasmin Pittman Morrell

FRIDAY

10-11am: Opening Session - How to Change the Story You’re Living In - Finding Shelter and Courage in Anxious Times, with Gareth Higgins

11.15: Choice of Breakout Session with Kathleen Norris or David LaMotte.

  • Kathleen Norris: ReWriting Your Life

  • David LaMotte: Doing the Details - Using a poetry exercise as our guide, we will think and write about the people and places who have made us who we are. Celebrating that unique identity, we will explore how to make the stories of those people and places vivid for others.

12.30-1.30pm: Lunch break (several restaurants nearby, or you are welcome to bring your own lunch to eat on the premises)

1.30-2.30pm: Choice of Breakout Session with Buddy Wakefield or Micky ScottBey Jones

  • Buddy Wakefield: ReWriting Your Life

  • Micky ScottBey Jones: Writing from the Margins* What are the joys and challenges of telling your story as a person who is often "in the margins"? You have what you need to tell your story in a way that is for your own survival, liberation and joy - discover what that means for you and your writing.  

*This workshop will center the needs, experiences, challenges, and joys of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & other People of Color), Queer people, Disabled people and others outside of the mainstream.

2.30-3.30pm: Closing Session - Writing the Next Chapter - with Kathleen Norris, Gareth Higgins, and You.

FAQs  

What is the schedule? A full schedule will be posted soon, but there will be a mix of onstage conversations or talks from our friends including Kathleen Norris, Gareth Higgins, Jasmin Pittman Morrell and others, along with opportunities for individual self-care and group discussion. It will be an informal experience with an emphasis on participation, not just spectating. We invite you to participate in any or all of the sessions as you feel most interested, and also to enjoy the lovely surroundings of the creative and welcoming city of Asheville, set amidst the mountains of Western North Carolina. 

Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event? We recommend a minimum age of 16 to participate.   

What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event? Parking is widely available nearby.

What should I bring the event? A notebook and writing instrument and an open heart. (You might want to bring comfortable shoes for walking, as there may be an optional walk on one of the campus trails.)   

What's the refund policy? We are unable to offer refunds, but you can transfer your registration to someone else if you are unable to attend. Just contact us and we’ll be happy to arrange it.  

What about lunch & dinner? Lunch & dinner are available for purchase nearby. 

Do you offer scholarships or discount rates for students or anyone else in financial need? Yes - contact us to discuss your needs. We offer volunteer opportunities to help offset the cost of attending.

Can I contribute to the scholarship fund? Yes! And we're grateful if you can do that - click here to contribute. Any amount is welcome, and will be used to help ensure that no one is turned away for financial reasons. Thank you for your support.