TALKING STORY: AWARD-WINNING FILM & BOOK

An intimate journey into the world of indigenous healing and spirituality

DOCUMENTARY FILM

Talking Story 

wATCH TALKING STORY TRAILER

Talking Story is documentary that chronicles the lives, rituals and wisdom of healers and spiritual leaders from diverse world cultures.

From the rainforests of Peru to the heights of the Himalayas, Talking Story transports the viewer into a world of exotic places, sacred practices and practical applications in the art of healing. What emerges is a series of intimate portraits of healers and spiritual teachers as both human and divine–creating a deeper connection between modern life and ancient traditions.

“Some filmmakers talk about the spiritual journey, but TALKING STORY puts you on the road with all the travelers. Marie-Rose takes the heroine's journey to a new level and we are invited to walk alongside her.”

— David Skinner, Executive Producer - Smoke Signals | Outsourced

Talking Story

Written BY MARIE-ROSE PHAN-LÊ

Talking Story: One Woman’s Quest to Preserve Ancient Spiritual & Healing Traditions

Based on Phan-Lê’s award-winning documentary film of the same name, Talking Story invites readers to journey with Phan-Lê, as she explores some of the richest spiritual traditions in the world, witnessing different forms of shamanism, spirit-channeling, plant medicine, and divination. The book allows readers to enter into a world that most people will never have the opportunity to explore, by offering an intimate experience of ancient healing traditions and the profound events leading to Phan-Lê’s personal transformation as the journey progressed. Talking Story is the winner of the Nautilus Gold Award and Bookvana Book Award.

Winner of Nautilus Book Award- Gold Medal (Multicultural/Indigenous) and Bookvana Award (Multicultural/Non-Fiction)

“Brave, brilliantly written and exhilarating”

— Andrew Harvey, Author - The Teachings of Rumi | Tibetan Book of Living & Dying

REVIEWS

  • A great journey...

    ★★★★★

    This was a fascinating story of Marie- Rose's quest to record and write about the ancient spiritual and healing traditions, some which are becoming extinct. We follow her and her crew, as they travel to far and sometimes remote areas to film the different types of healing, from Shamans to seers to doctors and teachers, exorcisms and even to witness a medicine potentization ceremony. She travels from Seattle WA, to Peru, Hawaii, Nepal, India, Vietnam, China and New York State.

    I loved in her acknowledgments the one to her mother that says: “I would like to express my love and gratitude to mom for starting me down this path of living the mundane while reaching for the heavens.” and the one to the healers: “I am forever grateful to all the healers who left us with breadcrumbs to follow and signpost to point the way home.”

    This story will stick with me for a long time as will the people she encounters on this journey.

    Alison D D

  • Inspiring and transformative film

    ★★★★★

    I appreciated the openness of the film. The filmmaker is comfortable with sharing her own life and healing process during the making of the film. When MR puts her hands on Papa K's knee (toward the end of the film) it was fascinating how the light in the room seemed to flux brighter and darker. Says something about the filmmaker's healing abilities, that the light coming from the window seemed consistent and didn't change, and yet the camera seemed to be responding to changes of light in the room. I found myself rooting for her to become a healer. Perhaps Papa K's pain in his knee was used as a gate to open MR to her own healing abilities?

    Would be great to be involved with a follow up project visiting other places on the globe, such as, Thailand or Peru, etc.

    George

  • A journey of the heart...magical.

    ★★★★★

    This film is a game changer. It is a journey into the heart of healing seen through Marie-Rose's eyes but, more importantly through her heart. Her deep honoring of the healers was a glimpse into this mysterious art. I was swept into her story and the stories of the people she interviewed. It was not only a documentary, it was an adventure story of Marie-Rose's search for herself. I found myself immersed in the history and mystery of these magnificent healers she meets and almost felt I was with her. Her relationship with Papa-K in Hawaii was the most touching for me. The love he showed to all he met and to her was huge, beautiful and profound. This is a film everyone should see. Magical!! Thank you Marie-Rose...

    Flicka Rahn

  • I'd like to highlight the intimate and touching manner

    ★★★★★

    t is a fascinating and passionate movie about the author's spiritual journey of self-discovery, which took her to several Asian countries, where she met with local healers, documented their healing practices and received blessings from them. Some of those healers had passed away by the time the movie was released, which makes her movie a unique repository of alternative healing practices. I'd like to highlight the intimate and touching manner, in which Marie-Rose narrates her story, which reaches out to anyone in her audience and makes her movie exceed boundaries of a documentary. All those to whom I had recommended the movie (my relatives and friends) were deeply impressed by the story. We all are very grateful to Marie-Rose for entrusting her unique life experience with a broader audience, and by so doing, enabling her spiritual journey to continue. I highly recommend the movie.

    G.K.

  • A journey of healing

    ★★★★★

    What a treat to follow the author's journey to document healing traditions around the globe while simultaneously exploring her unwitting inner journey of healing. Most of us will never get to explore these places and healing traditions first hand, but if we are willing to follow in her footsteps to open our hearts and minds, we might very well find ourselves dropping our own self-doubt and hesitancy to fully embrace our own potential.

    The author has a wonderful way of getting to the sweetness in the people she encounters. What a gift!

    Marie-Rose Phan-Le, thank you for sharing your amazing journey!

    hmbruner

  • Deeply moving and compelling bio documentary...A must see!

    ★★★★★

    I was so immersed in every moment of this film. Marie-Rose takes you on her true to life journey throughout the world sharing her interviews with ancient shamans, their spiritual and healing practices not known to many. Intrigued by her own discoveries of enlightenment, healing and transformation. An unconventional documentary, I found it very inspiring, wanting to share it. Certainly a brave woman following her true path.

    konacoffeebean