"It's time to make room for another film genre," insists Stephen Simon, the producer of such inspirational movies as Somewhere in Time and What Dreams May Come. In his new book, "The Force Is With You," Simon explores over 70 movies that deal with such important topics as the nature of love, the meaning of life and death, the concept of time and space, and the visions of our future. He refers to these films as Spiritual Cinema.

"As we evolve as a species, we hit certain key moments in that evolution when old ways are discarded and new maps of behavior are forged," writes this dedicated producer who loves the cinema and believes movies to be "the most electrifying communications medium ever devised." However, Simon bemoans Hollywood’s lack of recognition of Spiritual Cinema as its own genre. He claims there are millions of moviegoers who eagerly await films that embody the power and hope of visionary stories – movies like The Matrix, A Beautiful Mind, Vanilla Sky, Sixth Sense, Ghost, E.T., Frequency, Planet of the Apes, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Mulholland Drive, Sleepless in Seattle, etc. ("I wish I had included The Wizard of Oz and the first Harry Potter movie as examples in my book," Simon confessed in a telephone interview.)

But why do we need another film genre? According to Simon, once Spiritual Cinema is recognized as a genre, the audience that always attends these films will also be acknowledged. He points out that these kinds of films consistently outperform most other genres, but because they have not been recognized as a separate genre, productions are infrequent. When Spiritual Cinema is designated as its own genre, more such films will be made and marketed to the audience for these films -- just as thrillers, comedies, action movies, and so forth are marketed to specific audiences.

A veteran of 25 years in the movie business, Simon has produced his share of non-spiritual movies, including Smokey and the Bandit, Murder by Death and Body of Evidence. Although he still loves what he calls "popcorn movies," he’s only interested now in making films with a core of inspiration or empowerment to them. To that end, he and Barnet Bain founded Metafilmics, the company responsible for What Dreams May Come (Oscar-winner for Best Visual Effects in 1999).

Simon also teaches a seminar called "Mystical Messages That Inspire Our Lives" and writes a monthly movie column called "The Movie Mystic." His Website (www.MysticalMovies.com) includes movie alerts as well as message boards where people can interact about visionary movies and how they relate to their own experiences.

While reading "The Force Is With You" I was as much intrigued by Simon’s personal experiences as by the book’s upbeat theme. He not only faced being fired from high-powered executive positions at three major studios but also went through a painful divorce and bankruptcy proceedings. "I’ve had dark nights of the soul and times when I even lost hope – but somehow I kept going on," he explains. "Now, at 56, I’m happier and more in touch with joy than ever. I think that comes with doing what you love."

And Simon obviously loves discussing the success of his book. "It’s only technically been out for two months, and we’re off to a good start," he declared enthusiastically. "It’s available in all the major book chains like Barnes and Noble as well as in the metaphysical book stores and on Amazon.com." He’s done booksignings in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Chicago, Milwaukee, Boston Minneapolis, and New York. "We’re in the process of setting up something in Denver and Colorado Springs late next fall," he announced.

Published by Hampton Roads Publishing Company, "The Force Is With You" gave me a new way of looking at those movies that highlight the most extraordinary aspects of our search for meaning as human beings. But I can’t help wondering – where do I go to vote for recognition of Spiritual Cinema as a genre of its own?