Film Festival Honors Mila Riggio

Anyone who knew Mila Riggio knows she was a spiritual person. She simply exuded it in her relationships, in her yoga practice, and in her daily interactions.

It is no surprise then that Mila was involved with the Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival from the outset. She came to the first meeting simply through word of mouth and immediately threw herself into the project as marketing director.

For two years, she sat on the board and continued to develop the marketing plan. It is Mila and her brilliance with the English language that created the Festival’s tagline: The Illuminating Power of Film. In the festival’s third year, Mila, engrossed, in her new job as senior producer at Plum, remained involved, supporting and cheering on Mary Gervase and Claudio Ruben from the sideline.

Gervase remembers that even two nights before Mila died, the two were emailing back and forth about Plum TV coverage while chiding each other for continuing to work on a Friday night. Mary says, “Mila was so passionate and dedicated to our mission so its is fitting we have a special screening to honor her”

This year’s screening of “Yoga of the Heart” is in loving memory of Mila Riggio. Lauri Bunting, a Festival board member, canvassed the community to sponsor the film and the donations just poured.

“Yoga of the Heart’ is more than fitting for the free spirited Yogi that was Mila. When the going got tough in Plum’s office, it was Mila’s mantra that kept us all sane: “Close your eyes. Deep breath. Open your heart center. Love.”