[2][3][4][5] The festival honors filmmakers, writers and composers who actively increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, address complex social issues, and strengthen ties between international audiences.

"[7] The festival was founded in 1999, following the events of the Columbine High School massacre, by Elizabeth English, a film technician and Boulder, Colorado resident.

Past sponsors of the festival have included Jodie Foster, the Writers Guild of America West, Celestial Seasonings and Oprah Winfrey's O magazine.

The award is presented to the person who seeks to elucidate and improve the spiritual quality of all life on the planet, and contributes to the betterment of the world spirit.

The winning works in this awards category also have a deeper, and often hidden, message, lesson, moral, or important idea that bears further thought.

Presented to the person who expands knowledge of our world, seeks to improve our quality of all life on the planet, and contributes to the betterment of humankind.

Special recognition of a living pioneer in early cinema; a person who had a significant role in contributing a body of work to the silent-film era, either as a writer, director, producer, cinematographer, film editor, actor or actress.