As part of its 20th Anniversary, Northern Arizona Restorative Justice (NARJ) is partnering with George Anthony Morton—the subject of the award-winning HBO documentary Master of Light—for a special community screening on Sunday, July 13 at 4 p.m., hosted in collaboration with the Sedona International Film Festival and Death Penalty Alternatives for Arizona.

“Master of Light” follows George Anthony Morton, a classical painter who spent 10 years in federal prison for dealing drugs. While incarcerated, he nurtured his craft and unique artistic ability. Since his release, he is doing everything he can to defy society’s unlevel playing field and tackle the white-dominant art world. Now, back in his hometown of Kansas City, he’s on a journey to break cycles of intergenerational trauma and incarceration, too.

It’s a powerful story of resilience and immense talent in the face of systemic oppression and the machine of mass incarceration.

“Master of Light” is a film by George Anthony Morton and Rosa Ruth Boesten, and was directed by Rosa Ruth Boesten. It premiered at SXSW in 2022 and won the Grand Jury Award for Documentary Feature. It was also selected as Best First Feature at Sheffield DocFest and Best Documentary Feature at the San Francisco International Film Festival, among other awards.

A Q&A with George Anthony Morton will follow the screening.

“Master of Light” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Sunday, July 13 at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $12, or $9 for Film Festival members. For tickets and more information, please call 928-282-1177. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, in West Sedona. For more information, visit: www.SedonaFilmFestival.org.