In this short video, learn more about the In The Circle of Life global film premiere and how you can participate.

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Watch ALL 12 Films and Events
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  • Unlimited streaming of In The Circle of Life
  • Unlimited streaming of The Eternal Song
  • Full 12 companion films, each from a featured community, released every two months
  • Recorded sessions from The Circle of Life Premiere Event
  • 50+ recorded sessions from all our live gatherings with Elders and knowledge keepers
  • Audio files & full transcripts of each session
  • Extended interviews & behind-the-scenes conversations
  • The original film soundtrack
  • Two-year access to your private library
  • Monthly community gatherings to stay connected
  • Discussion groups to share reflections, questions, and resources
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The Guardians

DAY 1

|
JAN 20, 2026 / JAN 21, 2026 (AUS)

Live @ 1 pm PST / 8 am AEDT

Opening the Circle

w/ Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo

Live @ 1:10 pm PST / 8:10 am AEDT

FILM COMMUNAL SCREENING

Live @ 2:30 pm PST / 9:30 am AEDT

In Conversation

w/ Joe Williams

Recorded @ 3:30 pm PST / 10:30 am AEDT

Time: A Poem

w/ Dr (Uncle) Paul Gordon 

DAY 2 | JAN 21, 2026 / JAN 22, 2026 (AUS)

Live @ 1 pm PST / 8 am AEDT

We Al-li: Culturally Informed Trauma Integrated Healing

w/ Judy Atkinson, Caroline Atkinson

  • Trauma is held in bodies, lands, and lineages
  • Healing grounded in culture, Country and community
  • On Loss and Grief

Live @ 2:10 pm PST / 9:10 am AEDT

Healing the Bloodlines Within

w/ Kylie Marjambi, Jarmbi Miles

  • Honoring intergenerational pain and resilience carried through lineage
  • Making space for what was silenced, withheld, or forgotten
  • Inviting cultural and ancestral reconnection as a form of repair

Recorded @ 3:10 pm PST / 10:10 am AEDT

When Breath Meets Fire

w/ Jarmbi Miles

DAY 3 | JAN 22, 2026 / JAN 23, 2026 (AUS)

Recorded @ 1 PM PST / 8 AM AEDT

A Sound That Knows Its Way Home

w/ Dhinawan Baker

Recorded @ 1:05 PM PST / 8:05 AM AEDT

Short Film: BAMA

w/ Jahvis Loveday

  • Through years and years of memories I have captured with my family, I bring to you BAMA, an indigenous film starring my little brother Elijah Loveday.

Live @ 1:10 PM PST / 8:10 AM AEDT

Culture, Identity, and Intergenerational Story

w/ Dhinawan Baker, Jahvis Loveday

  • Identity is shaped through living connection to culture and Country
  • Practicing culture keeps memory, law, and belonging alive
  • Cultural knowledge lives on when it’s shared across generations

Recorded @ 2:45 PM PST / 9:45 AM AEDT

Short Film: Bangay (Spear) Lore

w/ Jahvis Loveday

  • Baŋgay Lore (Dyirbal for “spear”) is a deeply personal short film that follows a young Aboriginal dancer navigating the painful divide between celebrating culture on stage and being denied the right to live it in everyday life, revealing how cultural expression, hunting rights, and identity must coexist if our families and jarjums are to remain strong.

DAY 4 | JAN 23, 2026 / JAN 24, 2026 (AUS)

Recorded @ 1 PM PST / 8 AM AEDT

Being Sung Back into Place: Lore, Country, and Relational Healing

w/ Dr (Uncle) Paul Gordon 

  • Lore is not taught — it’s lived, remembered, and sung into being
  • Country holds the memory of who we are and where we belong
  • Healing begins by restoring right relationship with land, story, and self

Live @ 2:15 PM PST / 9:15 AM AEDT

On the Stolen Generations and Mental Health

w/ Matt Scott, Shirley Scott

  • Naming the deep impacts of removal, silence, and survival
  • Honoring stories of grief, strength, and cultural continuity
  • Centering community-led pathways to healing and mental wellbeing

RECORDED @ 3 PM PST / 10 AM AEDT

Dinawan's Connection Dance

DAY 5 | JAN 24, 2026 / JAN 25, 2026 (AUS)

LIVE @ 1 PM PST / 8 AM AEDT

In the Circle of Life Communal screening

LIVE @ 2:20 PM PST / 9:20 AM AEDT

The Dreaming Path

w/ Prof. Paul Callaghan

  • Walking with ancestral wisdom in everyday life
  • The Dreaming as a living guide for balance, belonging, and purpose
  • Remembering who we are through story, land, and inner listening

RECORDED @ 3:20 PM PST / 10:20 AM AEDT

Closing Song: Dhunggarr

w/ Uncle Paul Callaghan

How Your Contribution Supports Indigenous Communities

In The Spirit of Reciprocity

We thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.

SAND is a nonprofit organization under section 501c.3 of the US tax code.

With In The Circle of Life, at least 50% of the funds we receive—after covering costs—
are directed to Indigenous-led initiatives in the territories where we filmed.

When you donate to watch the film, you help support the following project:

Main Photo

We AL-Li

We Al-li

We Al-Ii is an Indigenous-led organization based in Australia that supports community-led pathways of healing, cultural continuity, and reconnection to Country. Grounded in Aboriginal wisdom and lived experience, their work centers on restoring the right relationship between people, land, ancestry, and future generations.

A core focus of We Al-Ii’s work is trauma-aware healing, recognizing the personal and collective impacts of intergenerational, cultural, and systemic trauma. Through education, mentoring, and embodied learning spaces, they support processes of repair that honor Indigenous ways of knowing while remaining accessible and inclusive.

Funds directed to We Al-Ii  through this reciprocity pathway help provide scholarships for individuals who would otherwise be unable to participate in their workshops, and enable the organization to expand its work directly within communities. In this way, support flows not only to individuals, but back into the wider relational field and strengthening community capacity, cultural continuity, and collective wellbeing.

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barracks

The Barracks

The Barracks

The Barracks is a short-term accommodation facility located in Bathurst, providing safe and supported housing for men experiencing homelessness. The facility consists of eight individual rooms, offering residents a secure and dignified place to stay during a period of transition.

Read More

WISDOM OF THE ANCESTORS 12–FILM SERIES

The Eternal Song

Over the next two years, we will release a total of 12 full-length films featuring different indigenous traditions. Each film opens a portal into the ancestral wisdom of these cultures, calling us to remember, grieve, heal, and act.

The Eternal Song

LAND: EARTH

92 Minutes • WATCH NOW

Mauri

LAND: AOTEAROA (NEW ZEALAND)

70 Minutes • WATCH NOW

If an Owl Calls
Your Name

LAND: Esk’etemc, Gitxsan, and Wet’suwet’en (CANADA)

92 MINUTES • WATCH NOW

In the Circle of
Life

LAND: BUNDJALUNG & WIRADJURI (AUSTRALIA)

75 Minutes • COMING JANUARY 20-24

Little Singer

LAND: DINÉ BIKÉYAH (ARIZONA)

81 MINUTES • COMING APRIL 2026

Sila

LAND: KALAALLIT NUNAAT (GREENLAND)

COMING 2026

‘Āina

LAND: MOKUPUNI HAWAI’I

COMING 2026

Guarani-Kaiowá

LAND: MATO GROSSO DO SUL (BRAZIL)

COMING 2026

Katô: Dreams of Dark Earth

LAND: DAJE KAPAP EYPI (BRAZIL)

COMING 2026

Maasai

LAND: OLOSHO LE MAA (KENYA)

COMING 2027

Haida

LAND: HAIDA GWAII (CANADA)

COMING 2027

Ifá

LAND: TSENACOMOCO (VIRGINIA)

COMING 2027

The Eternal Song

LAND: EARTH

Mauri

LAND: AOTEAROA (NEW ZEALAND)

If an Owl Calls
Your Name

LAND: UNIST’OT’EN YIN’TAH (CANADA)

In the
Circle of Life

LAND: BUNDJALUNG & WIRADJURI (AUSTRALIA)

Sila

LAND: KALAALLIT NUNAAT (GREENLAND)

Little Singer

LAND: DINÉ BIKÉYAH (ARIZONA)

‘Āina

LAND: MOKUPUNI HAWAI’I

Guarani-Kaiowá

LAND: MATO GROSSO DO SUL (BRAZIL)

Mundurukú

LAND: DAJE KAPAP EYPI (BRAZIL)

Maasai

LAND: OLOSHO LE MAA (KENYA)

Haida

LAND: HAIDA GWAII (CANADA)

Ifá

LAND: TSENACOMOCO (VIRGINIA)

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Carrying the Vision

The Crew

Born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria, and fascinated with exploring life’s big questions, Zaya feels most at home in nature and, increasingly, within herself. Her deepest passion is bringing spiritual wisdom in service of all life. She has produced and directed several award-winning documentaries including The Wisdom of Trauma, The Art of Life, Rays of the Absolute, and Where Olive Trees Weep
Zaya Ralitza BenazzoProducer / Director
Zaya Ralitza Benazzo
Born and raised in Genova, Italy with deep ancestral roots in Piemonte, Maurizio is devoted to making visible the profound interconnectedness between all forms of life and the ancestral wisdom that flows through it. He and Zaya co-founded SAND, and together they have since co-directed, produced and independently distributed several award-winning documentaries.
Maurizio BenazzoProducer / Director
Maurizio Benazzo
Nika is a cinematographer born in Tbilisi, Georgia and raised in Toronto, Canada. After making his first film, Nika dived deep into the world of electronic music events. He joined some of the world's most renowned DJs on tour, creating music videos and after-movies for them. He also engaged in meaningful work with NGOs around the world.
Nickoloz KachibaiaDirector of Photography
Nickoloz Kachibaia
Caroline's natural talents cover three areas: science, art and drama. After receiving her Masters in Science, Caroline found unlikely doors opening for her with the BBC Natural History Unit and the BBC World Service. By the age of 28, she had filmed in over 30 countries and even had her feature documentary, an exposé on China’s Energy Industry, shut down by top government officials.
CAROLINE CAMPBELLDirector OF PHOTOGRAPHY
CAROLINE CAMPBELL
Finley is a film and television editor, producer, and director from Toronto, Canada. Having cut thousands of commercial spots by the age of seventeen and his first feature at eighteen, Finley practically grew up in a post-house. Working with countless producers in Canada, the US, and Europe, Finley has amassed innumerable credits at a very young age. His most recent works include The Case Against Cosby, Life Below Zero: Canada, and In Their Own Words.
Finley MacNeilEditor / Producer
Finley MacNeil
Alexis is an Emmy award-winning producer and a video editor with over a decade of experience working for companies like NBC, CBS, ESPN and Netflix. She graduated from Brown University with a dual degree in Film and Theatre. When Alexis is not working on film and television, she enjoys performing with her band, Otaku Ongaku, and querying agents with her fantasy trilogy, The Shadow.
Alexis AurigemmaProducer
Alexis Aurigemma
Armand is a French Moroccan composer born in Jerusalem. He was imbued early with the sounds of instruments considered exotic at the time. He co-founded the record label Long Distance, dedicated to traditional music, and opened a museum in Paris for his huge collection of instruments from all over the world. Armand created Leylâ & Majnûn, an internationally acclaimed oratorio for the Fez Festival of World Sacred Music in Morocco.
Armand AmarComposer
Armand Amar
Jeanric grew up on the shores of Algeria where he developed a passion for the water element. His strong scientific background and his Kashmir Tantric Shaivism spiritual path directed him to become, pell-mell, an aquatic bodyworker, a telecommunication engineer, a pool specialist, a venture capitalist, and more. He helps with sound recording, writing, translating, editing, financial organization and human resources.
Jeanric MellerAssociate Producer
Jeanric Meller
A mother, educator, and elder-in-becoming from a loud and loving Italian family, Lisa values reciprocity, possibility, compassion and transformation. She believes in a world that works for everyone and remains committed to living in integrity and connection. She was instrumental in the physical organization of the journey.
Lisa Breschi Location Producer
Lisa Breschi
Yasen was born in Palo Alto, in the heart of Silicon Valley, where his early fascination with computers and visual storytelling shaped his unique approach to filmmaking. His professional path has included work as a cinematographer at Brown Barn Films, sound recordist and assistant camera for SAND, and production assistant on the feature film Under The Lights.
Yasen StoevCamera Assistant/Sound Recording
Yasen Stoev

Knowledge Holders

Our Guides

Pat McCabe (Weyakpa Najin Win, Woman Stands Shining) is a voice for global peace, and her paintings are created as tools for individual, earth and global healing. She draws upon the Indigenous sciences of Thriving Life to reframe questions about sustainability and balance, and is devoted to supporting the next generations in being functional members of the “Hoop of Life” and upholding the honor of being human.
Pat McCabeMother, Grandmother, Activist, Ceremonial leader, Diné
Pat McCabe
Tiokasin has a long history with Indigenous activism and advocacy. The Founder, Host and Executive Producer for 28 years of First Voices Radio in New York City and Seattle/Olympia, Washington, he received many awards including a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016 and an award for New York City’s Peacemaker of the Year in 2013. He is a “perfectly flawed human being."
Tiokasin GhosthorseFounder of First Voices Radio, Cheyenne River Lakota Nation
Tiokasin Ghosthorse
Born and raised in a remote village of Northeast Greenland, Rakel declared she would be a shaman when she was four. In 2012, she immersed herself in nature and the teachings from Silap Aappaa (the other worlds) to reconnect with the wisdom of her ancestors. By 2019, Rakel was formally initiated into the ancient tradition as an angakoq (medicine woman). She helps individuals rediscover their souls and restore harmony within themselves and the world.
Aviaja Rakel Sani-muinaq KristiansenInuk Shaman, Kangigaimeer, Nunarput (Greenland)
Aviaja Rakel Sani-muinaq Kristiansen
Iya is a trauma specialist with ancestors in West Africa, Barbados, Jamaica and the Bahamas who brings over two decades of experience in mental health, social services, and community advocacy. She empowers individuals and communities to break cycles of trauma through healing practices which emphasize reconnection with cultural roots. She is a speaker and educator with a mission to facilitate re-culturing and healing of indigenous people all over the world.
Iya AffoFounder of Heal Historical Trauma, Speaker & Educator
Iya Affo
Bayo Akomolafe is the Chief Curator of The Emergence Network, a speaker, author, fugitive neo-materialist com-post-activist public intellectual and Yoruba poet. Bayo was born in 1983 into a Christian home, and to Yoruba parents in western Nigeria. Now living between India and the United States, Bayo is a father of Alethea Aanya and Kyah Jayden Abayomi. He is married to EJ, his dear life-partner of Indian descent.
Bayo AkomolafeYoruba Philosopher, Writer
Bayo Akomolafe
Chief Oluwo Obafemi Fayemi Epega is a world-renowned Babalawo and the founder of O.I.D.S.I. (Obafemi Institute for the Divine & Universal Study of Ifa). He was initiated as a priest of Obatala in 2004, and received his Tefa in 2005. He strongly believes that the restoration and preservation of African divine sciences and traditions can restore psychological balance and personal empowerment to all people. A lecturer, teacher and healer and the author of Who is Sambo?.
Obafemi FayemiFounder of Obafemi Institute for the Divine Study of Ifa
Obafemi Fayemi

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