(2015) This inspiring feature documentary film follows a writer who is compelled to make sense of the mysterious and powerful energy she felt at her aunt’s deathbed. A series of strange coincidences leads her on an exploration of synchronicity – the concept that everything is interconnected, and that time is not so much a chronology as it is an infinite cycle. Considering herself something of a skeptic, she treads the fine line between nervous breakdown and ecstatic revelation as she seeks out guides in her search for answers. Together, they explore a reality where time is transformed from a unit that can be measured and commodified -“Time is money”- to an experience of oneness with the natural rhythms of nature and the universe. It is here that the writer discovers that time is, in fact, art.
Visually captivating images of urban and natural landscapes, excerpts of Jennifer’s writing, and compelling conversations with fellow seekers Toko-Pa Turner, Richard Tarnas, Graham Hancock, Daniel Pinchbeck and biologist, Rupert Sheldrake, guide us through the underlying premise of the film: perhaps we can tap into a way of being that is not ruled by a finite sense of time as western materialist science promotes, but rather by the ability to live in harmony with the true creative nature of our existence.
Inspired by acclaimed & visionary author José Argüelles’ studies in ancient indigenous wisdom, this film explores the idea that modern humanity is immersed in an erroneous and artificial perception of time that deviates from the natural order of the universe. We have become disconnected from the natural rhythms of the earth by focusing only on money, consumerism and exploitation, while deep down inside, we crave the return to a foundation of culture, community, and creativity.
As Jennifer navigates the labyrinth of her own light and darkness, she opens herself to a new reality in which everyone and everything appear connected by a larger purpose. She is revealed to be part of a global movement of people challenging a linear and restrictive consciousness in exchange for one grounded in meaningful connection and action – a template for a new era where we are one with the earth and each other.
Time is Art is ultimately the story of an artist’s search for inspiration in a money-driven society that shuns creativity, and of the human search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world. Presented as a cinematic meditation along the lines of Waking Life and Samsara, this film takes an experimental approach that allows us to experience reality as Jennifer begins to see it – one less concerned with linear storytelling, and more open to the cyclical patterns of nature, the hidden meanings of symbols, and the dreamlike overlapping of people, places, and moments.
About the Filmmakers
First-time filmmakers, husband and wife team, Katy and Joel Mejia worked on the film from 2012 to 2015. During a trip to the Yucatán in Mexico in 2012, Katy was reading a book by Jose Argüelles and wrote a treatment that was initially for a web series which eventually blossomed into a feature documentary film. They filmed in NYC, Joshua Tree and San Francisco, California. Joel Mejia was Director/Editor/DP on the film and had worked on documentary films directed by other filmmakers. In 2011 they formed Dream Circle and started producing music and several music videos together.
In 2012 they formed Things Are Changing Productions, LLC, an independent documentary film company dedicated to exploring consciousness and social transformation through genre-bending and thought-provoking storytelling.
FILM CREDITS
PRODUCERS
Katy Walker Mejia, Joél Mejia
DIRECTORS
Katy Walker Mejia, Joél Mejia
WRITERS
Jennifer Palmer, Katy Walker Mejia, Maia Monasterios
EDITOR
Joél Mejia
CAMERA
Joél Mejia, Katy Walker
ASSISTANT EDITOR, ART DIRECTION, GRAPHIC DESIGN, ANIMATION
Katy Walker Mejia
POST PRODUCTION SOUND
Timewheel
COLORIST
Eric Alvarado
MUSIC SUPERVISION
Things Are Changing Productions
MUSIC & SCORE
WāKEN / Avant Muse
Dream Circle
It’s Not Night It’s Space
East Forest
Diana Zinni
Bachan Kaur
Time is Art 