EUPHORIA
with writer-director Lee Boot
Director: Lee Boot
Writer: Lee Boot
Release Date: June 2008
Genre: Documentary
Plot: Euphoria begins by asking us: in a country built for the pursuit of happiness, is it working? Are you happy? Narrator/Director Lee Boot takes us on a journey through the American landscape—the one that surrounds us and the one inside us. In each place, he touches on a meaningful piece of our history, our biology and our nature—each time leaving us with surprising metaphors that cause us to reflect. The intricate patterns of how humans survive and thrive emotionally and spiritually has been Boot’s core concern since his time as a high school teacher when he saw that his students’ success or failure depended more on their emotional state than anything else.

This genre-jamming film expresses new knowledge and ancient wisdom in unexpected ways. It presents a unique language of high-key visuals that are as improbable as they are engaging. Synchronized swimmers inhabit an underwater jungle of neurons; Teddy Bears hover in arcs of electricity, and throughout, real people share how their lives have been transformed by pursuing what is meaningful and engaging to them. As Boot untangles the elements necessary for emotional survival, the meaning in our own lives becomes refreshingly tangible.
Sponsor: Evergreen Cove Holistic Center, LLC

Website

Screening:
Sunday, September 21 • 10:00 am • 85 min • Academy Art Museum
with Lee Boot