The Spotlight Film Festival is a series of documentaries shining a light on issues that impact the lives of Skagit County residents. Each film highlights a different topic, followed by a community panel or discussion. Join us as we dive into these deeply relevant topics affecting our community.
April 14th - Paper Tigers
Paper Tigers captures the pain, the danger, the beauty, and the hopes of struggling teens—and the teachers armed with new science and fresh approaches that are changing their lives for the better. Set amidst the rural community of Walla Walla, WA, the film intimately examines the inspiring promise of Trauma Informed Communities – a movement that is showing great promise in healing youth struggling with the dark legacy of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES).
Join us for the film and stay for a discussion with community panelists.
Past films in the series:
December 10th - The Raising of America - The Signature Hour
The Signature Hour interweaves discoveries from neuroscience with the stories of families and communities struggling to provide the nurturing environments all babies and young children need to thrive—while too often hindered by social conditions that put their children on low developmental paths. It reveals how stressors on parents can drip down on their infants and young children, literally altering the wiring of their developing brains with enduring effects. Why are so many children faring so poorly in the richest nation on the planet? How might we do better?
January 14th - Dark Side of the Full Moon
Dark Side of the Full Moon delves into the unseen world of maternal mental health in the U.S. It will uncover the disconnect within the medical community to effectively screen, refer, and treat the 1.3 million mothers affected each year, giving a face and voice to the countless women who have suffered in silence.
Join us for the film and stay for a discussion with panelists
February 11th - Having it All
Three women set out to live their dreams of balancing career, marriage, and children. After two trying years of unanticipated trade-offs and painful sacrifices, each finds herself with a changed life and a changed idea of what Having it All really means.
Join us for the film and stay for a discussion with Vlada Knowlton, Having it All’s filmmaker.
March 10th - The Horse Boy
The Horse Boy is part travel adventure, part insight into shamanic tradition and part intimate look at the autistic mind. In telling one family’s extraordinary story, the film gives voice to the thousands who display amazing courage and creativity every day in the battle against the mysterious and heartbreaking epidemic. The film companion to Isaacson’s best-selling book of the same name and a festival favorite, the ravishing documentary odyssey gives insight into how, in life’s darkest moments, a gateway to joy and wonder can be found.
Films are Free, $5 suggested donation.
The Spotlight Film Festival is sponsored in part by Skagit County, Skagit Valley Food Co-op, United General, District 304, Nurse-Family Partnership, Children's Council of Skagit County, Skagit County Child and Family
Consortium, Chinook Enterprises, and Washington Vocational Services.