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Free the Mind

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Free the Mind

Released May 3, 2013

1h 20m

Documentary

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

12 Reviews

59%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Dr. Richard Davidson, a brain specialist, experiments with meditation and yoga as a means of helping soldiers with PTSD and children with ADHD.

Bilge Ebiri

Spirituality & Health

Free the Mind is a film that practices the mindfulness it preaches. It's intimate, beautiful-and also, on some deep level, respectful.

Mar 24, 2020

Full Review

Drew Hunt

Chicago Reader

A wealth of information is sufficiently articulated, though the film's greatest strength is Ambo's compassion toward the subjects.

Oct 11, 2013

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Loren King

Boston Globe

Davidson's compilation of seemingly immeasurable data is interesting, as is the doctor himself.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 10, 2013

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Rob Thomas

Capital Times (Madison, WI)

This is overall a compassionate and curious film about the real-world implications of some fascinating research happening right in our backyard, helping our own neighbors.

Rated: 3/4

May 28, 2013

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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

An enlightening documentary about using mindfulness, breathing techniques, and yoga to reprogram the brain and ease the mind.

Rated: 4/5

May 1, 2013

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Audience Member

bun pentru ambitia de a face un documentar pe neuro.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

From the very first five minutes, Phie Ambo immerses the audience into the world of a tortured mind; a small child unwilling to even consider the possibility of being in an elevator, and an insistent yet patient mental-health practitioner treading through a pure and simple fear. The documentary touched every emotional chord possible in the audience, creating a perpetual "poor child" intuition on the audience, again on the first five minutes. Then Ambo immediately transfers that same sympathy to an older man, from the appearance rugged, anxious, and to some, automatically dangerous. Ambo was not only able to snapshot Dr. Davidson's research, but just as importantly transferred our sympathy from a child to a man, knowing perfectly well that most people would not even consider a tear from an adult struggling with it's own fears.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

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Phie Ambo

Director

Richard Davidson

Self

Emma Seppala

Self

Richard Low

Self

Phie Ambo

Writer

Pernille Rose Grønkjær

Executive Producer

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Fin

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Synopsis

Dr. Richard Davidson, a brain specialist, experiments with meditation and yoga as a means of helping soldiers with PTSD and children with ADHD.

Director: Phie Ambo
Producer: Kaarle Aho, Sigrid Jonsson Dyekjær
Screenwriter: Phie Ambo
Distributor: International Film Circuit [us]
Production Co: Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep (VPRO), Yleisradio, Sveriges Television, Danmarks Radio, Making Movies Oy
Genre: Documentary, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 3, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 23, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $157.0K
Runtime: 1h 20m

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