About
Neurons to Nirvana: Understanding Psychedelic Medicines
$40,004
634
Ancient medicines, new molecules, interviews from researchers at universities like John Hopkins, UCLA, NYU; neurochemistry, neurotheology, shamanism and psychotherapy; Ayahuasca, LSD, Cannabis, Psilocybin, MDMA — all potent tools for getting to know who we are, who we can be, and for healing the trauma of a society that is addicted to greed and consumerism — Neurons to Nirvana covers it all and the proverbial more. This film dares to break the taboo surrounding psychedelic medicines, by examining and revealing their proven potential to heal and alleviate suffering on a global scale.
We live in an age where a film like Neurons 2 Nirvana has a chance to be seen because it is powered and shared by the people. So we are counting on you to help bring this information to world, and see to it that these astounding plants, molecules, and ancient vehicles of transformation are liberated from the ignorance and repression of the status quo. As a civilization and as individuals — we can no longer afford to lose the lessons that they can bring. So often it takes a documentary like this to affect change. We have the opportunity to do this now. With your contribution, you could help hundreds, thousands, even millions of people that would benefit from this information.
Let us expand the awareness of what these mind revealing substances can contribute to our collective well-being together! Please help us by donating what you can and by helping us share the campaign far and wide.
UPDATE 6/15/13: With all your help, we have reached our 35K goal! We are eternally grateful for this opportunity to bring Neurons to Nirvana out for our premiere in NYC. It doesn't stop here. This film is literally powered by the people, and we have more to raise to keep releasing this movie in more cities around the world, so please continue to support this project! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE! Be amongst the FIRST to see Neurons to Nirvana upon release this fall with your own N2N download, streams, DVD, and more in the REWARDS! Claim your reward before the campaign ends SUNDAY 16th 10:53am PDT!
Watch this video as Social Media Muse Patty Yuniverse explains why we shouldn't stop at the goal!
Here's three ways you can help Neurons to Nirvana today:
1. DONATE WHAT YOU CAN. http://kck.st/YvvzyF There is no contribution too small (or large)...they ALL add up! Check out all our rewards, including digital downloads, streams to share, an exclusive signed copy of artist Ben Lee's album Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work, tickets to our premiere in NYC, and even a journey to the Amazon for medicine work!
2. LIKE OUR N2N FB PAGE AND INVITE YOUR FRIENDS. This is the best way to stay the most up to date with our campaign and film. FB also makes it easy to help share!
3. PLEASE SHARE SHARE SHARE! We are in the final stretch and it is with EVERY single share that we ripple out the awareness of this project! Please share and share often, including a brief but personal message asking your friends to visit the link and support what they can. SAMPLE POST: Only 4 days left on this campaign! Please visit the link http://kck.st/YvvzyF to watch the trailer and donate what you can!
Be sure to check out this video from our producer Mikki as he talks about why he feels N2N is such a crucial film for our current moment.
Director Oliver Hockenhull talks his motivation for making the film.
Dennis McKenna, Ph.D. talks NEURONS TO NIRVANA
Please let us know what you think — and if you feel inspired — conspire with us to get the film out there into the world.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
NEURONS TO NIRVANA: UNDERSTANDING PSYCHEDELIC MEDICINES is a richly-illustrated feature documentary about the resurgence of psychedelics as medicine. Through interviews with the world's foremost researchers, writers, psychologists and pioneers in psychedelic psychotherapy, the film explores five powerful psychedelic substances (LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA, Ayahuasca and Cannabis) and their previously established medicinal and psychotherapeutic potential.
For the first time in two generations, the use of these drugs is not being presented as harmful or as self-indulgent, but as a rational and valuable addition to therapeutic practice. Several well-respected researchers are conducting clinical trials to treat a range of afflictions: PTSD, addictions and the psychological stresses suffered by late-stage terminal cancer patients. The initial results of all these studies are remarkable. The story extends beyond these trials however. Clients of licensed therapists are using psychedelics not as escape routes or addictive crutches, but in a quest for transformation, mental health, creativity, intellectual and spiritual enhancement and insight.
NEURONS TO NIRVANA explores the promise of these brave new advances in psychopharmacology and cultural understanding guiding the viewer in a thought-provoking journey, as told by those determined to hold open the doors of perception.
The film introduces a vibrant spectrum of characters who champion psychoactive drugs for medicinal use including Rick Doblin, Ph.D., President and Founder of the Mulitdisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS); Amanda Feilding, Countess of Wemyss, whose Beckley Foundation to Further Consciousness has supported research in this field; National Geographic "Explorer in Residence" Wade Davis, Dr. Dennis McKenna, ethnopharmacologist and expert on DMT and ayahuasca; Dr. Gabor Mate, award-winning author and expert on addictions; Dr. Michael Mithoefer, who conducted ground-breaking PTSD trails with MDMA, and many others.
HOW YOUR MONEY WILL HELP:
After many years of filming and several months of editing, the film is now ready to be released. Up until this point, the film has been financed by unconventional means, highly dependent on donations and small investments from visionary individuals. Your support will help us put together a wide-scale marketing and distribution plan allowing us to spread the truth about psychedelics globally. The more we raise, the bigger scale release we can create.
NEURONS TO NIRVANA is a message that can and will have a broad impact on people and communities everywhere — if the funds can be found to do the work properly.
As Wade Davis, the acclaimed author and official "explorer in residence" at the National Geographic Society asserts in our film: "These substances are truly transformative." So evangelise about our Kickstarter campaign to your friends, your family, your colleagues, through Facebook and Twitter, to strangers you meet on the street, the bus, the train, the plane.
Like us on Facebook: (http://facebook.com/neuronstonirvana)
Follow us on Twitter: (http://twitter.com/n2n_movie)
Please back the project & tell everyone you know to help spread the word!
THANK YOU for YOUR SUPPORT - we hope you'll join us in making this project successful!
WHO WE ARE:
GIANCARLO CANAVESIO (PRODUCER & DISTRIBUTOR) -
Giancarlo Canavesio's professional career set him firmly at the heart of the establishment as a successful Italian entrepreneur specializing in financial risk management and European real estate for what used to be called (in the 1960s) “The Man”. But the journey of life sometimes shakes us to our core in order for us to learn why we were put on this planet. Similar to the Christian story of Paul on the way to Damascus, Giancarlo had his moment of light that changed everything. Giancarlo realized, humbly, that his real purpose was to enable the creation of challenging films with compassionate and enlightening narratives. He now brings much needed business acumen to progressive radical activism. He has produced many award-winning feature films including THE LIVING WAKE, EXPLICIT ILLS, FIX, 2012 TIME FOR CHANGE, BEING IN THE WORLD, STARLET and HERE COMES THE NIGHT.
MIKKI WILLIS (PRODUCER) -
Award winning filmmaker/humanitarian Mikki Willis is respected internationally as an innovator of socially and environmentally conscious media. His passion for uniting creatives inspired the birth of Elevate Film Festival in 2006. In less than three years the festival earned the title of "the world's largest single screen film event," hosting up to six thousand people per screening. It was the catalyst for the movement that is Elevate. Today, Mikki stands at the center of a global community of visionaries who realize the power of art and entertainment to inspire the masses and activate change. As a testament to their commitment to the planet and the people, Mikki and his team are often invited to document historic events and sacred ceremonies. To date, Mikki Willis has produced over 300 productions, ranging from network television specials, to theatrical features, viral media campaigns, and music videos for multi-platinum artists. Mikki lives to the fullest with his beloved wife Nadia, their son Azai, cat Navi, and chickens Blanca and Goldie.
OLIVER HOCKENHULL (DIRECTOR/PRODUCER) -
Oliver Hockenhull works in film, video, hyper media installations, writing, and design. He’s an artist who is a documentarian, screenwriter, communication theorist, stand-up philosopher and essayist. He has taught at Northwestern University in Chicago and presented at Universities in Canada, the US, and Europe.
His media works — film, drama, documentaries, video art — have been called sharp, smart, and visually elegant. He has concentrated on pivotal subjects: the social and intellectual import of the eminent writer, Aldous Huxley; an experimental film essay on evolution featuring Richard Dawkins (and the gorillas of the London Zoo); an essay on architecture extending from the early works of Mies van der Rohe to the steps of the Burning Ghats of Varanasi; a hyper media installation that questions ‘chance‘ — as quantum indeterminate noise — to edit film; and now (2013/2014) a double versioned feature documentary on the psychedelic renaissance.
He has published critical articles on philosophy, psychedelics, cinema and media issues. He has also been a yoga & meditation practitioner for the past 33 years.
MARK ACHBAR (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) -
Whether following Noam Chomsky around the world or interviewing Fortune 500 CEOs, for three decades Mark Achbar's filmmaking passion has been with the players and the politics in the struggle for human rights and social change. His penchant for quirky visuals and intelligent humour combine to make complex ideas compelling and entertaining. Achbar is one of a new wave of non-fiction feature filmmakers reaching large international audiences through mainstream theatres, TV, DVD, and the internet. With Peter Wintonick, Achbar co-directed and co-produced MANUFACTURING CONSENT: Noam Chomsky and the Media (1992), which became Canada's all-time, top-grossing feature documentary and won 22 awards and honours. Achbar’s companion book to the film hit the national best-seller list in Canada.
THE CORPORATION took over MANUFACTURING CONSENT’s status as Canada’s all-time top grossing feature documentary, and won 26 awards, 10 of them audience awards, including Sundance. It was released theatrically in more than 20 countries, grossed over six million dollars at the box office, and sold over 200,000DVDs. More than a million people have downloaded the film via Youtube, bittorrent, and other P2P networks. It is used in thousands of high school and university courses, by community and activist groups, and by Fortune 500 corporations.
JON SCHULTZ (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) Jon is a seeker of truth who has been interested in psychedelics since reading The Joyous Cosmology by Alan Watts in 1970. He's also involved in numerous film productions as an executive producer.
BETSY CARSON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) Betsy is a producer/production manager/ director with over 20 years experience in documentary film and television. Betsy has recently executive produced with Mark Achbar (The Corporation) four theatrical feature documentaries: Fierce Light, Pax Americana, Waterlife, and A Short History of Progress.
The NEURONS TO NIRVANA Gift Certificate.
Do you want to send a N2N DVD, T-shirt, or any other reward as a gift to someone else? Now you can.
How does it work?
1 - Below are the gift certificate prices for N2N merchandise
N2N eco-friendly bumper sticker (EXPAND THE AWARENESS) $5
N2N theatrical movie poster $10
Limited edition DVD of film (signed) $35
N2N organic T-Shirt $30
BELOW COMBOS - (buy either combo, get FREE bumper sticker)
(save $5) DVD and T-Shirt $60
(save $10) DVD, T-Shirt and poster $65
(higher value rewards are also available as gift certificate!)
2 - Pick out Gift Certificate reward (and increase your current pledge by the proper amount.)
3 - Drop us a message with the list of gifts as well as the name, address, email address of the recipient.
3 - We will send that person a personalized email presenting the gifts, followed by an envelope with handmade gift certificate with a dedication from you (followed, of course, by the presents!)
4 - You will be making a double gift, a gift to the recipient, and a gift to this film.
Risks and challenges
Making a documentary film is always a challenge and not just for the obvious financial risks. The very nature of non-fiction filmmaking is not knowing what will happen.
We know the film will resonate with a lot of people, but the challenge is getting the film to that audience.
The shooting of NEURONS TO NIRVANA is finished and the edit is almost complete. However, several elements are still needed to get the film out into the world.
We plan to produce a trailer, DVDs, key art, a website, promos and viral videos. We have to create deliverable files and subtitles to make the film available on platforms like iTunes, Hulu and Amazon. These companies want films in certain formats and unfortunately these formats aren’t cheap to create. We will premiere the film in New York at Tribeca Cinemas which holds 1,000 people and fly in the main speakers for the film while simulcasting to theaters across the country. This would in effect make the premiere a true interactive event. All of this is what we envision for the release of the film and this is why we’re asking you to contribute.
Thanks for checking out our Kickstarter page for NEURONS TO NIRVANA. A huge thank you for helping us get this film out into the world!
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Funding period
- (60 days)