Director - Michael Brant DeMaria

Dr. Michael Brant DeMaria's life took a profound turn 30 years ago. Experiencing compassion fatigue, burn out and suicidal thoughts from working with over 2000 cases of severe child abuse and neglect as a child protection team psychologist, he embarked on a life-transforming vision quest guided by a native elder. This journey, which involved going without food or water alone in the wilderness, led to a profound heart opening and a reawakening of his first loves of nature and creativity, while instilling in him a sense of the deep mystery of living and dying as far beyond anything we are taught in modern culture.

Since then, Michael's mission has been to explore what he calls, ‘the way of twilight,’ that is, finding how to embrace the ongoing, never ending and perplexing paradoxes of living and dying, in a way that opens our hearts instead of closing them. He does this through his creative work (music, writing and film) and his mentoring of others. His music has been streamed over 250 million times around the world, earning him four Grammy® nominations, eight ZMR awards, six #1 albums, and a Native American Music Award. His work is also featured on the Grammy® winning album All About Bullies Big and Small. Michael's music has been featured in projects with Eckhart Tolle, Mark Nepo, Peter Kater, and Noah Levine.

Director Statement

The Twilight Café began over 40 years ago, at a moment of profound personal crisis. I found myself on a bridge, contemplating ending my life, right after discovering my partner in bed with my friend. This tragic story is all too common. However, a series of synchronicities brought me back from the brink and inspired me to become a psychologist, dedicated to helping others in similar situations.

Throughout my 33-year career as a psychologist, I have witnessed the alarming rise in suicide rates. Globally, a million people die by suicide each year, with over 13 million in the US seriously contemplating it annually. It is the second leading cause of death for those aged 10-14 and 20-34, and in the US alone, close to 2 million people attempt suicide each year. Every 11 minutes, someone in the US takes their own life. The Twilight Café is the third film in my trilogy on suicide, aimed at raising awareness and fostering discussion around this critical health crisis. We know that those who talk about their feelings with non-judgmental and compassionate listeners are much less likely to take their lives.

This short film is based on my full-length, award-winning stage play, Café Mezzo, which I wrote and performed in 15 years ago. Playing the role of Josh during its two-month run was incredibly cathartic. Our culture often glorifies the alpha male, to its own detriment. Alpha males who cannot show grief or express their emotions are much more likely to commit suicide due to their fear of vulnerability. Josh represents the opposite of an alpha male; he is what I call an omega male. The omega male, symbolized by the last letter of the Greek alphabet, embodies wisdom and depth of heart and soul gained through defeat, failure, and the ability to be vulnerable. As an old Native American saying goes, "The soul would have no rainbow, if the eyes had no tears." This, in essence, is what The Twilight Café is about.

Rhonda, on the other hand, embodies a different kind of feminine strength. She values substance, emotional truth, and depth of soul over appearances. Grounded and wise, she knows what truly matters, thanks to her difficult life and the teachings of her grandmother, Nonna Kaya. The character of Rhonda was inspired by my wife of 42 years and my deceased mother, who grew up in foster homes and lied about her age to secure her first job and was an extraordinary soul.
I hope the big heart and moving message of this film will help transform it into the feature film it is destined to become. Set in the extraordinary location of Dauphin Island, Alabama, these two unique souls have so much more of their journey left to discover! My goal is to contribute a bit more beauty, compassion, and wisdom to a world in desperate need of all three. As one of my dearest native teachers, Chief Bobby John Bearheart, taught me over and over again, “We must never stop dancing!”