Following The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, The Gift of Darkness will begin its next chapter through a series of community-centered screenings in Santa Barbara County, with an initial focus on immigrant communities, particularly within the Mexican community.
Each screening will be accompanied by a facilitated council circle—a guided, respectful space where participants are invited to reflect on the film, share how they are coping in the present moment, and explore where they find resilience, hope, and connection. The intention is to create safe, compassionate conversations that honor lived experience and foster a sense of collective support.
Over time, the film will be made available to a wider audience through the film’s website, along with thoughtfully crafted reflection questions to support meaningful dialogue in homes, classrooms, and community groups. We are also exploring the creation of a short online video to gently model how to hold safe, inclusive conversations using a council-circle format.
To support this work, we hope to raise funds to compensate trained therapists and facilitators who guide the circles, as well as to cover basic equipment rentals needed for community screenings. If you feel moved to support this work, you’re warmly invited to contribute via the Venmo link below.
Donations help cover facilitator stipends and screening-related expenses.