Michael Rossato-Bennett

Editor
Producer
Director

Alive Inside is a joyous cinematic exploration of musicÂ’s capacity to reawaken our souls and uncover the deepest parts of our humanity. Filmmaker Michael Rossato-Bennett chronicles the astonishing experiences of individuals around the country who have been revitalized through the simple experience of listening to music. His camera reveals the uniquely human connection we find in music and how its healing power can triumph where prescription medication falls short. This stirring documentary follows social worker Dan Cohen, founder of the nonprofit organization Music & Memory, as he fights against a broken healthcare system to demonstrate musicÂ’s ability to combat memory loss and restore a deep sense of self to those suffering from it. Rossato-Bennett visits family members who have witnessed the miraculous effects of personalized music on their loved ones, and offers illuminating interviews with experts including renowned neurologist and best-selling author Oliver Sacks (Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain) and musician Bobby McFerrin (Â“DonÂ’t Worry, Be HappyÂ”). An uplifting cinematic exploration of music and the mind, Alive InsideÂ’s inspirational and emotional story left audiences humming, clapping and cheering at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.

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Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory (2014)

Michael Rossato-Bennett is the Writer, Director and Producer of "Alive Inside" - winner of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for U.S. Documentary - and through film he strives to incite conversations that interrogate issues related to cultural consciousness. In addition to "Alive Inside", his first feature length documentary offering, Rossato-Bennett has several documentaries in various stages of development, through his production company, Projector Media. Each of those projects is inspired by Michael's dedication to the collective well being of society and progressive human change towards the greater, if not greatest, good.