Mindful Kindful YOUniversity
presents a Film Screening of
May I Be Happy:
Mindfulness in the Classroom and Beyond
HOST a screening at your school, home, or community location in SLO County
or attend our next scheduled screening (see details below).
Stay up to date on announcements about our next film screening:
MAY I BE HAPPY – Trailer from TAMA, Eric Georgeault and Hélène Walter
This Screening will be of particular interest to every parent and
anyone who works with youth in schools or in the community!
Our Next screening:
WHERE: Ocean View Elementary School
TIME: 6:30-8:30 on Thursday, April 11
This Feature Length Documentary (80 min) will be followed by a discussion and “Q and A” facilitated by Dee DiGioia, founder of “Mindful Kindful YOUniversity”.
This event is FREE and open to the public. (Donations will be gratefully accepted!)
PLEASE RSVP on our Facebook Event to help us plan seating!
Due to the nature and length of the documentary film (80 minutes) children under 12 should not attend the screening but are welcome to go to the childcare provided.
ABOUT THE FILM:
MAY I BE HAPPY reveals the significance of mindfulness practice in transforming the lives of young people.
Through poetic cinematography and sequences of teachers leading sensitive or boisterous practices to kids from different backgrounds, the film brings awareness to the benefits of mindfulness as a way out of violence and suffering, and as an attainable solution for younger generations.
This full-length feature documentary captures the very real challenges American children face, whether in elite private schools, public schools, on the streets, or in juvenile detention centers. Hearing the frustration of dedicated educators who find ways to teach from the heart, and seeing their optimistic work with youth is an uplifting experience.
Interviews with teachers and leaders in the field of mindfulness research and education, including Dr. Dan Siegel and Vinny Ferraro, offer insights into the growing practice of mindfulness in education.
Covering varying approaches to mindfulness by a range of San Francisco Bay Area programs, MAY I BE HAPPY reminds us of children’s natural capacity for wellbeing, resilience and happiness.
Jury Prize Award Eye Opener – Awareness Film Festival 2017 – Los Angeles, USA
Official Selection – Ojai Film Festival 2017 – California, USA
Official Selection – Transitions Film Festival 2018 – Melbourne, Australia
Spirituality and Consciousness Series 2018 – Porto Alegre, Brazil
Official Selection – Illuminate Film Festival 2018 – Sedona Arizona, USA
Official Selection – Manifesto Film Festival 2018 – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Official Selection – Learning By Film Festival 2018 – Paris, France
Official Selection – Global Peace Film Festival 2018 – Orlando, Florida
Official Selection – Spirit Film Festival 2018 – Tel Aviv, Israel
For more information, go to mayibehappy.org
“This film will inspire and inform you in unexpected ways. Through gorgeous footage of dedicated teachers bringing the gift of mindfulness to youth from every strata of society, I found myself uplifted by the hope that these practices offer the world. MAY I BE HAPPY makes you believe that love and peace can and will ultimately prevail.”
~Kate Savage, Art & Mindfulness Teacher, Brentwood School, and Founder, Open Window Mindfulness – Los Angeles
“…I love your film; it resonated deeply with me! I am just learning about the wonderful mental and physical health benefits of mindfulness, which your film depicts so well. I am eager to share your film with others. I believe students and people in the broader community could benefit so much from your film.“
David Saunders-Scott, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Viterbo University, MRC
“MAY I BE HAPPY is a world changing movie. It shows how mindfulness impacts children, teenagers and adults in a profound and long lasting way. It helps set up the foundation of a meaningful, peaceful and mindful life. It shows how it changes a community or a school with issues of violence to kindness, happiness and inner peace. MAY I BE HAPPY should be seen by every educator in the world starting in the United States since we have so many guns and murders issues. A mindfulness project should be implemented in all schools as a daily practice influencing the next generation to create a better world.”
~Brigitte Benchimol, Creative Mind Preschool CEO & Children’s book author – Los Angeles
“MAY I BE HAPPY is a film that brings mindfulness in education to life and shows the power and importance of this movement. The film provides an opportunity for people to experience with deep integrity the work students, teachers, leaders, and nonprofits are doing to bring mindfulness to youth of all ages, backgrounds, races, socio-economic status, and more. It’s amazing to see how the life changing work being done has been represented with heart, compassion, truth, and clarity! This is a must watch for all as the world is counting on this movement of mindfulness spreading wildly!! May this film lead to creating happier, healthier, and more loving learning environments around the world!”
~JG Larochette, Founder and Director, Mindful Life Project, Richmond California
“This documentary film brings some tears to my eyes as I share some similar experiences. The movie also provides very useful and practical information and strategies to all educators of all ages. I will certainly be using some of the great strategies introduced. A must re-watch film again and again! Thank you so, so much for making this documentary!”
~Carina Huynh, Early Childhood Educator, viewer at the Transitions Film Festival, Melbourne Australia
Dee DiGioia, founder of Mindful Kindful YOUniversity, offers Mindfulness-based Social-Emotional Learning Enrichment programs for schools, grades Pre-k thru 12, designed to address the challenges youth, and educators, face in school, and in life, which interfere with learning, relationships, and mental well-being. Our program provides a rich experience for all students and staff through learning and engaging in practices of mindfulness and movement grounded in science and backed by research to support mental and physical health and well-being* while developing the essential life skills of emotional intelligence, or “Sm’Heart skills” — the essential education for responding more skillfully to life in the 21st Century!
Mindful Kindful YOUniversity’s Mindful Teen Programs (MBSR-T) is currently being implemented at Atascadero Choices in Education Academy (ACE) for middle and high school level. We are looking for additional pilot school programs in SLO County!
Youth Programs
Adult Programs
About Dee DiGioia 