SPIRITUAL DESTINY book reel link:      https://youtu.be/_ddE2M9L8d0

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJTFTNQS

In Spiritual Destiny, the inaugural novel of the Alp to Taw Chronicles and the first book of The Destiny Trilogy, readers are introduced to Joseph Arthur Golden-Eagle, known as JAG, a full-blooded Pequot Native American from Stonington, Connecticut. Raised by Night Owl and Morning Dove, JAG embodies his ancestors' guiding values: "DON'T TAKE what is not yours; DO TAKE care of what is yours, and Mother Earth will provide for you forever." His early life is laced with unusual events and encounters. While the narrative unfolds in familiar contemporary settings, subtle undercurrents hint at profound revelations yet to come. This layering invites readers to ponder the unseen influences shaping our world and sets the stage for transformative events in subsequent installments of the series.

Spiritual Destiny masterfully intertwines the familiar with the enigmatic, crafting a tale that resonates deeply and leaves one contemplating the boundaries between the known and the extraordinary. It challenges readers to reflect on their roles within the broader tapestry of existence and prepares them for a journey that extends beyond the ordinary, hinting at the profound interconnectedness of all things. As the world grapples with overconsumption, environmental degradation, and societal discord, JAG recognizes the urgency of these challenges. He embarks, unknown to him, on a transformative journey to lead humanity toward a more responsible way of life, rooted in ancient wisdom yet vital to our future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James W. Hawk was born in New Eagle, Pennsylvania, and grew up in East Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Cleveland State University.

Dr. Raymond Foery, Professor Emeritus - Quinnipiac University Film, Television, and Media Arts, said about Hawk’s work: "A truly imaginative filmmaker with a highly sophisticated sense of cinematic acuity. Jim has been remarkably active in various genres. As a director of narrative fiction, he has shown a sure hand with actors and a sophisticated appreciation of mise-en-scene. As a creator of animated visual motifs, Jim has displayed a mastery of the latest techniques and a sophisticated sense of composition complemented by a rich appreciation of theatrical style. Each of his projects also reveals the mind of an artist grappling with the eternal philosophical dilemmas of our existence on this planet, as well as some speculation about those other planets out there. In short, Jim’s work forces us to think as well as to look."

Jan Harlan (executive producer for Stanley Kubrick & Steven Spielberg) gave Hawk's work high marks.

F. Miguel Valenti assessed it as better than much of what is released these days.

One of Hawk’s films was exhibited at an art exhibition in Rome, Italy. Two of his films were award-winners, two were finalists, four were semi-finalists, and two were quarter-finalists at film festivals worldwide. A Hawk film was recently awarded semi-finalist at a science fiction film festival out of a thousand entries. He has had films screened at 64 film festivals and venues worldwide, with 112 films being official selections.

©Erika Hebbert

The Biarritz Film Festival – NOUVELLES VAGUES is honored to welcome Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel as this year’s Jury President. Norwegian director and screenwriter born in 1990, he embodies a new generation of European filmmakers whose sensitivity and narrative mastery are revitalizing the landscape of auteur cinema.

Coming from a legendary cinematic lineage — grandson of Liv Ullmann and Ingmar Bergman — Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel has carved out his own artistic path, far from the shadows of his illustrious predecessors. His work, characterized by a subtle exploration of human relationships, unspoken tensions, and social dynamics, resonates strongly in Armand (2024), his debut feature film which was awarded the Caméra d’Or at Cannes (prize for the best first feature across all sections) as well as the FIPRESCI Prize at the European Film Awards. Centered on an incident between two children in a school, the film delicately probes the adult world through the lens of childhood — a theme that aligns closely with the spirit of the festival.

Through both his short and feature films, he explores youth with a gaze that is both critical and empathetic, capturing its flaws, raw emotions, and search for identity that define this pivotal stage of life. His cinematic approach — at the crossroads of the personal and the political — makes him an ideal jury president for a festival devoted to youth: their dreams, their anger, their contradictions, and their transformative power.

Under his leadership, the jury will strive to honor bold works that carry a strong and sincere vision of contemporary youth. His presence promises a thoughtful and discerning perspective on emerging voices in cinema, in harmony with the festival’s core values of attentiveness, innovation, and the transmission of stories.

Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, born in 1990, is a Norwegian director and screenwriter, based in Oslo. He studied directing at Westerdals School of arts. His debut feature Armand (2024), starring Renate Reinsve, won the Camera d’or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and the European Discovery - Prix FIPRESCI at the 37th European Film awards. In 2025, he earned a nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement for a First feature at the 77th Directors Guild of America Awards. 

BENTONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL, LED BY GEENA DAVIS, ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 11TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL

“Rosemead” Wins Best Narrative Award

“The Librarians” Wins Best Documentary Award

The Bentonville Film Foundation, in collaboration with founding partner, Walmart, and presenting sponsor, Coca-Cola, announced the winners of their narrative, documentary, homegrown, short film, and episodic categories from the 2025 Bentonville Film Festival’s competition program. The 11th anniversary of the festival ran from June 16-22 in Bentonville, AR. The annual Festival is a globally recognized platform that champions the transformative power of storytelling—creating space for a world where every voice matters and every story is seen, heard, and valued.

“Rosemead” from Eric Lin won the award for Best Narrative Award and “The Librarians” directed by Kim A. Snyder took home the prize for Best Documentary Award. Additionally, the Rising to the Challenge Award, was presented to Lucy Liu, producer and star of “Rosemead”. The Rising to the Challenge Award has been given to a select few artists in the history of Bentonville Film Festival and honoring those who represent the true impact of supporting independent film both in front of and behind the camera. The Rising to the Challenge Award celebrates artists who put their talent, passion and experience on the line in the service of empowering stories that are otherwise underrepresented.

“These awards reflect the passion and drive of storytellers, whose work will continue to broaden perspectives and engage audiences throughout the year,” said Bentonville Film Festival Chair Geena Davis. “We congratulate our BFF award winners and we’re so thankful to every filmmaker here for their contributions to the success of this year’s BFF!”

Additional winners are as follows:

Best Narrative

Jury: Marie Jamora (Director; Guest Artistic Director of AFI's Directing Workshop for Women), Bomani J. Story (Director, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster)

Best Narrative: ROSEMEAD

(Director, Eric Lin; Writer, Marilyn Fu; Producers, Mynette Louie, Andrew Corkin, Lucy Liu)

Jury Statement: “Rosemead” captures the terrifying realities of motherhood in our contemporary era.  When culture, society, and healthcare break down, how can a mother protect her own child? With a powerhouse performance from the often underused Lucy Liu, you understand every choice she makes. Director Eric Lin sparks real world conversations about the society we’re living in through an intimate, unflinching film based on true events in the San Gabriel Valley. The very essence of what great cinema can do. 

Special Jury Mention for Directorial Vision: COLOR BOOK

(Director/Writer, David Fortune; Producers, Kiah Clingman, Kristen Uno, Autumn Bailey-Ford)

Jury Statement: David Fortune’s “Color Book” makes daring choices through form and subject matter.  In a stripped down tale of a father just trying to get his son to a baseball game, the film unearths profound themes about the world we live in with a consistent command of beautiful visuals, performances, and crisp storytelling. Fortune’s vision speaks through a confident hand like he’s done this many times before.

Special Jury Mention for Ensemble Cast: ADULT CHILDREN

(Director/Producer, Ric

Brief Encounters, Mumbai, screens Jafar Panahi’s This is Not a Film

Made in 2011, This is Not a Film is a genre-defying, ground-breaking film (yes, it is a film) about the reputed Iranian film-maker, Jafar Panahi, made in collaboration with one of his friends, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, who wields the camera too. It was shot secretly in, and from, the house and building of Panahi, where he was serving a house-imprisonment sentence, for having made anti-establishment films secretly, and for supporting the revolution against the ruling Iranian clergy. The film was screened as part of a monthly screening programme, at St. Paul's Institute, in its auditorium, on the 3rd floor Alberione Hall of the St. Paul’s complex, in Bandra, Mumbai, on 14 June. The event was organised by the Bandra-based Brief Encounters platform, represented by Ms. Aparajita Sinha and her team. Attendees included film-maker O.P. Srivastava and actor-model Naseer Abdullah. 

Mojtaba Mirtahmasb

Mubi, which does not offer this film for viewing, currently, says about the film, “It’s been months since Jafar Panahi, stuck in jail, has been awaiting a verdict by the appeals court. By depicting a day in his life, Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb try to portray the deprivations looming in contemporary Iranian cinema.” “Using the barest means but inspired by their art, passion, and existence in the world, Panahi and Mirtahmasb craft a masterpiece of truth," opines Daniel Kasman, and I could not agree more. Panahi has just won the Palme d’Or (Golden Palm) at Cannes 2025, for his latest, It Was Just an Accident’.

Panahi is a screen-writer, producer, director, cinematographer and editor, who confesses that he has no knowledge of the technicalities of film-making. Yet, over the years, he has directed many a classic: The White Balloon (1995), The Mirror (1997), The Circle (2000), Crimson Gold (2003), Offside (2006), The Accordion (2010), Taxi Tehran (2015), Where Are You, Jafar Panahi? (2016), 3 Faces (2018), Hidden (2020), Life (2021) and No Bears (2022). He is among the four Iranian film-makers that have achieved overwhelming international acclaim, the others being Abbas Kiarostami, Majid Majidi and Asghar Farhadi. Panahi started as an assistant to Abbas Kiarostami. Panahi left a message on Kiarostami's answering machine, saying that he loved his films, and asked him to give him the position of an assistant director on his next film. Kiarostami hired Panahi to assist him, for the film Through the Olive Trees

Educated at the Iran Broadcasting College of Cinema and TV, 65-year-old Jafar Panahi, born to an Azerbaijani father, began his career making short films. At the age of 20, At the same age, Panahi was conscripted into the Iranian army, and served in the Iran–Iraq War, working as an army cinematographer from 1980 to 1982. In 1981, he was captured by Kurdish rebels, and held for 76 days. From his war experiences, he made a documentary that was eventually shown on TV. His debut feature, The White Balloon (1995), won the Caméra d'Or (Golden Camera) at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival. Panahi has been imprisoned multiple times in Iran, most recently for protesting the detention of film-makers criticising the authorities. This was his first visit to Cannes in 15 years, where his films have been shown in his absence due to a travel ban. The films were ‘smuggled’ to the festival venue in a pen-drive, by one of Panahi’s friends.

This is Not a Film has many moments when nothing really happens. It begins with Panahi having breakfast, and