New Film, As She Is, a hauntingly beautiful query into what the feminine might actually be'

By Megan McFeely

I made my film, AS SHE IS, because I had no choice…there was a cry from my soul to know and live all aspects of myself, to reclaim what had been lost. It was a deep longing and I knew if I did not do this…I would have been incomplete. I would have missed the opportunity of my life, the reason I was here on this planet. I was not going to let that happen… But the question really is why did I make a film?

The intention of this film was to begin a conversation about what the feminine might be and in doing so bring our collective attention to what has been missing and what might be needed. Because of my own experience with the feminine, I thought I had something to contribute. I wanted to give people a felt sense of the feminine…bypassing the mind and ideas, to touch the heart. I felt that one way to do this was to show my own vulnerability and search for something real…hoping to inspire others to do the same. I think that reclaiming the feminine, as it lives in each one of us, is imperative for the survival of our species and maybe even the planet.

So now this film has been screened at the Library of Alexandria, has won the Best Debut Documentary Filmmaker awarded at FEFF in Toronto, has been seen in more than 25 countries, has been given kudos by those I respect (see Joanna Macy and Bill Plotkin quotes below) and will be going out on tour through the United States and Canada starting in the Spring of 2017.

"AS SHE IS, by Megan McFeely is a musing on feminine consciousness, a hauntingly beautiful query into what the feminine might actually be. I found myself entranced, drawn into the experience of that which is really indefinable, and at the same time grounded in the necessity of exploration itself." ~Joanna Macy, environmental activist, author, and Buddhist scholar

“Moving and inspiring — and troubling in just the right ways — AS SHE IS takes us along on McFeely’s personal journey as she rediscovers and reclaims the feminine qualities of the human psyche, qualities neglected and suppressed in the West for millennia and yet essential for our survival and wholeness in this time of global crises and opportunities. A brave and vulnerable celebration, this artful film gracefully blends story and conversation, amplifying each with stirring music and stunning images of our wildly creative planet. While courageously revealing herself as she is, Megan at the same time summons within each of us the genuine feminine as she is.” ~ Bill Plotkin, author of Soulcraft and Wild Mind: A Field Guide to the Human Psyche

The response to this message has been compelling…it has been a powerful experience for me to be present with women, to hear their stories and see that my life is the same as others, there is no separation. It is one story. This film, I have heard, mirrors back to women what has long been lost and gives them permission to live from their true nature undefined by anything outside themselves.

But the message was not lost on men. I got this email from a man in Connecticut who said:

“Last night, after watching your film, I had a dream and in it a very damaged and guarded feminine aspect of myself was transformed into a knowing healer who was then engaged in transforming others. The rest of the night was spent in a very empty and receptive energy that felt like it was coming through the feminine. A gift. As I said earlier, your vulnerability in the film would be a catalyst for transformation. I wasn't really surprised when it happened to me. Thought you might enjoy hearing about the effect of your work.” ~ Rob Thompson

As the film moves into the world, I continue to find what I have learned in the process of its creation. This making of it called on me to live from that tender voice inside and to bring forth a powerful masculine to project it. AS SHE IS continues to be a great teacher to me. Maybe I have learned a bit more about living in a state of balance…which is deeply important for the balance of the whole. This film chronicles my journey, but is also expresses the collective journey because I am simply a microcosm of the macrocosm, so are you. www.as-she-is.org

Megan McFeely, producer/director of As She Is, has been on a life-long journey to uncover what is true? The question: “what is my authentic nature as a woman?” has guided her inquiry for the last 20 years.