What is Special about Upon a Starry Night?

One day I heard the most mesmerizing melody, while shooting a commercial at a children’s clothing boutique. I was told it was a Brazilian lullaby. I bought the CD on the spot, and listened to it that evening. It brought back to me a feeling of magic and wonder from my childhood, which we seem to loose as adults. I don’t mean just a feeling of fun, excitement or exuberance, but that deep, indescribable feeling, of an inner joy, love and connection that feels magically blissful.

When I lay there, like a stream of consciousness, my film, Dorme, came to me. The film is an expression of that feeling I was describing earlier. That’s what makes my wordless films so different, they are inspired and written from a place of complete recall and connection to that wonderful feeling.

That’s why it has taken me a while to write the next one. I had to wait for that moment to happen again. I’ve done other work in the meantime, but the inspiration to do another Dorme-like film came to me again recently.

Christmas was always magical in our home. My mother made it that way… encouraging our imaginations to take flight as kids. I remember the smell of cookies baking while listening at the door to the sounds of my mother rustling paper, which my sisters and I felt sure was the sounds of angel wings. The songs we sang, the stories about the golden ladder only parents got to go up, the closeness… all magical.

Recently, we were told that my mother could be passing any day. This was at least nine months shy of December, yet my mother was determined to make it to just one more Christmas.
I told her then that I was going to make a Christmas film, in her honor, to thank you for the magic she created for us as children. My mother passed away the day after Christmas, she made it to one more Christmas!

Months later, though in deep sorrow, I was also full of awe around the strength and beauty of her spirit. I’m convinced we have this massive, beautiful soul journey that continues and is deeper and more beautiful and purposeful than we can imagine now… while being distracted by the ins and outs of daily life.

One night, recently I decided to listen to some especially calming music I had fallen in love with, and again I felt transported to an indescribably wonderful place of connection… and the beautiful story of, Upon a Starry Night flowed through me. I started writing and wrote through the night, about a little girl and her brother who are invited on a visit to a magical place called Christmas Town. It would look just as I imagined it as a child.

Upon a Starry Night counteracts the busyness and noisiness of our fast-paced world. It is a film for all ages. Though the story takes place on Christmas, it is eclectically spiritual…a beautiful celebration of spirit, diversity, nature, and the connection we have to each other and all there is.

Synopsis:

The dreamland adventure begins when, after falling asleep during the singing of their mother’s Christmas lullaby, a little girl and her brother are invited to the magical Christmas Town she had been reading to them about earlier. The children are filled with delight at the sights they see, and at meeting Santa and others, who could use a hand before Christmas.
During their visit the children are asked to make a decision. Once they make their choice, it creates a shift of events. What they experience changes their hearts and consciousness forever, as they get what it means to be part of the beautiful, diverse human race. Along with some fun little goodies…they take this life altering gift with them on their starlit journey back home.

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Please find a couple Dorme fan quotes I’d love to share with you below:

“Dorme is a beautiful, poetic journey into the nighttime innocence of young dreams.”

–Dee Wallace, Actress, “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial”

I just watch it over and over I love it so much! I hum the lullaby to myself all the time, its so mesmerizing and somehow comforting.
Thank you, thank you so much for making such a beautiful film, it is a treasure.

–Dave, Spiritual Cinema Circle Member