Film series

“Imagination is the ultimate renewable resource. If you can imagine a path, you can follow it.”

“At HKI, we are committed to forging this new path forward, through an educational programme of arts and science, like the films you will see today, as well as through technological advances.

During these transformational times and journeys of self-exploration, it is imperative that humanity finds new ways forward, through holistic means, to address the challenges we are all facing.

Our film series and the documentaries supporting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals centre on hope, and on working towards making a better planet, themes which are near and dear to my heart, through my work with Human Kind.”

“I am delighted to present a short documentary film that illumines the inner workings of the world’s fastest super-computer, our human brain.

Directed by Dana Boulos, HUMAN KIND gracefully bridges science and spirituality to provide a staggeringly diverse mosaic of answers to the central question: what does it mean to be human? Offering viewers a rare glimpse into the research of the most progressive, international thought-leaders, this innovative film touches on such fundamental issues as how we perceive reality, the nature of the mind, and whether conscious AI is possible.

In pursuit of answers, HUMAN KIND incorporates some of the very topics it explores, such as the 852 MHz frequency with its calming and inspiring qualities which resonates throughout the soundtrack.

I’d like to invite you to take a journey with us, to embrace both the earthy and the ethereal, and enjoy this experimental piece, HUMAN KIND.”

“Many believe that our senses have been shaped by natural selection to give us some truths about reality, but space-time is not actually the fundamental nature of reality.

Instead of giving us a window on reality, evolution by natural selection has given us a virtual reality headset that allows us to play the game of life, without actually knowing the reality at all.

Space-time itself is only an approximate notion.

Consciousness itself is fundamental. Space-time reality is just a data structure that we can play with and peer behind, into the realm of conscious agents.

Now it’s time for us to get a new framework. As scientists, we are trying to get that notion into a mathematically precise statement.”

“There has been an immense amount of studies in recent decades in the West, mostly focussed on ‘negative syndrome reduction’ – i.e. does meditation work for depression? For anxiety?

But the big goal, that has been transmitted to me through the traditional perspective, is the well-being of the whole world.

To extend meditation through all our activities, not just while we are sitting. To care for the people around us, for the world around us.

Happiness could be a name for a kind of passing state, and we tend to always go for happiness.

But how are we to find something in ourselves that is constant and continuous that we can rest in, through happiness but also through sadness, anger, jealousy and so on?

Maybe a better word is ‘peace,’ or ‘equanimity.’

In the Buddhist concept of training the mind, this is the goal: to discover a sense of open spaciousness in our mind.

Are we the passing states of happiness, anger and so on, which are constantly moving, or are we something more deep, more consistent and enduring, the nature of our mind?”

“We are living organisms with two main components: a microbial and a human one. There are 40 trillion microbes living in the darkness of our gut. It’s the most complex system in our whole body.

Any emotion influences what these microbes produce. They can even be influenced by exercise.

A diet that consists largely of plants – fruits and vegetables – provides things that are optimal for our microbes, and optimal for our own health.

We should teach our children to get better at listening to their gut feeling and communicating with that very complex system we have.”

“As a psychologist, I do prescribe medications. But pills can’t solve anyone’s problems. There are other things people must do to adjust and cope, to find a solution for themselves.

Meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, anything that makes you joyous, these are tremendously powerful. Once you come from that centred place, from your heart, you can make more rational decisions.

Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change, to develop new connections and reconnect ones that have been damaged by, say, trauma.

You can do things to help yourself rewire your brain, and change your stress response. It is within your power to completely change it.”

“People who are doing pharmaceutical drugs or recreational drugs are all trying to activate something that is already there. The pharmacy is in your brain.

If we can mimic those reactions and stimulate that part of your nervous system without the drugs, we can have you actively connect with yourself.

‘Frequency therapy’ combines light and sound and creates a vibration overload. The frequencies start matching with your own bio rhythms and that puts you into a state of relaxation and sensory resonance, in which all senses are lined up. That allows you to relax, and in that state you can release trauma or get clarity on problems.

There’s a state of new resonance, of harmony that the body naturally operates in. If you go into nature, to a beach or a forest, what do you feel? Most people feel peace, and that’s not just because their mind is relaxed. It’s because all external frequencies, distractions and distortions are gone and you are just being present with what you have, which is your natural vibration.

That allows different neurotransmitters to be released and for you to enter that state of happiness and bliss.

Why shouldn’t we use inspiration from nature and our history and combine it with new technological advancements to create something that is more of a synthesis between technology and spirituality, man and machine?”

“Plants respond to things we can’t see, such as energy shifts in the room.

If you put a plant in a dark corner of the room, it wouldn’t get spiteful or angry, it would simply find that little bit of light creeping out from under the door across the room and grow towards it.

Meditation with plant music is a way of inviting ourselves into a deeper presence with the moment. You can recognise that you are an expression of earth consciousness in human form.

Plants respond to people. There is something there for us to receive.”

“The films featured here today centre around core themes of sustainability, social impact, wellness and creativity.

Following each film, a panel of experts, film makers and critics will come together to discuss how the ideas presented in the documentaries can be used to empower us towards new pathways in education, both for ourselves and our children.

The subjects include: how we can create sustainable fashion, how children cope with war, and living with disability.

I hope that these stories and the discussions you will hear today inspire us all to make meaningful shifts in our own lives, towards a more sustainable lifestyle and a more sustainable world.

We are honoured to be a part of this strong coalition working for positive change.”

“This is what we can take away from this film festival: when we are all seen and heard, we feel empowered to make a change.

This is the inspiration: to create possibility for dialogue, with HKI, for our shared humanity,”

“Through hands-on learning, ByKids inspires kids to find their voice, use their voice and then to understand that a democracy is only as good as them bringing an informed decision to public dialogue.”

“Change that works is tiny, an accretion of tiny.”

“I want to find a home for my soul where water is not thirsty and a breadloaf is not a stone.”

“Love, trust, sharing and caring – this was my impression from watching the movies. We have to move forwards together.”