The Calm Code: Coming to your Screens in 2027
Format: Feature Documentary (90 mins)
Genre: Wellness / Personal Development / Cultural Exploration
Working Titles: In Search of Contentment, The Art of Calm, Return to Being
Production Stage: Development & Early Partnership Discussions
Host & Creator: Jess Stuart – Author, Speaker, Calm and Contentment Advocate
Contact: www.jessstuart.co.nz | IG: @stuartjess | Email: jess@jessstuart.co.nz
The calm code: a journey to crack the code of contentment in an always on world of chaos
What if the secret to success wasn’t more… but less? In this global journey, Jess Stuart explores how different cultures define and live contentment, uncovering rituals, wisdom, and mindsets that help us reclaim calm in a chaotic world.
In a world obsessed with hustle, productivity, and performance, calm and contentment is the quiet revolution we didn’t know we needed. This documentary travels across the globe; from Japan’s Zen temples to Iceland’s wild landscapes, from Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness index to Costa Rica’s pura vida to uncover the wisdom, rituals, and mindsets that help people slow down, reconnect, and live with intention.
Through conversations with neuroscientists, monks, mothers, athletes, and everyday humans, Jess explores how calm is not a luxury but a powerful tool for resilience, clarity, and joy. This is not just a film. It’s a movement. One that invites us to redefine success, reimagine fulfilment, and reclaim the lost art of simply being.
We stand at the crossroads of rapid technological advancement, shifting career dynamics, and a future that feels more uncertain each day. With burnout on the rise, the evolution of AI, economic instability, and global crises, we find ourselves searching for something more, something deeper, something that unites us in a world that seems more divided than ever. We've mistaken busyness for purpose, external validation for meaning, and digital connectivity for real human connection. In the rush to live faster, we’ve forgotten how to live well.
Using ancient wisdom to solve modern problems this documentary slows people down
Landscapes, nature, beauty and peace portrayed not just by expert advice and lived experience of alternate ways of life but beautiful imagery that inspires a feeling of calm, plenty of space and sensory immersion.
The goal is exploration and inspiration, educating along the way. The central questions this documentary seeks to answer: What does it mean to live a fulfilled life? How do we have it all without compromising our wellbeing? How are other cultures achieving this across the globe and what can we learn from them?
Key Themes:
Calm as a counterculture to burnout
The science of happiness and fulfilment
Rituals, traditions and ancient wisdom across cultures
Redefining ambition, achievement, and modern living
Countries/ locations
New Zealand
Home base: Indigenous Māori values of whānau, manaakitanga, and connection to land.
Japan
Zen Buddhism, ikigai philosophy, tea ceremonies, minimalist living.
Iceland
National happiness, slow living, nature immersion, low-stress lifestyles.
Denmark
Home of hygge and world happiness rankings; simplicity and togetherness.
Costa Rica
Pura vida lifestyle, connection to nature, national happiness.
Bhutan
Measures Gross National Happiness, values well-being over GDP.
California US
Mindfulness movement, wellness industry, burnout culture vs. wellness trends.
Thailand or Bali
Buddhist influence, wellness tourism, digital nomads seeking calm.
Featuring world experts and everyday humans
Buddhist monks, happiness researchers, wellness influencers. Potential interviewees:
Matthieu Ricard, Dr. Kristin Neff, Sharon Salzberg, Pico Iyer, Arianna Huffington, Elizabeth Gilbert, Tara Brach, Dan Buettner, Jay Shetty, Bronnie Ware, Oprah Winfrey, Jacinda Ardern.
And everyday humans; How they found calm after burnout or trauma, why they shifted from hustle to intention and what daily calm practices look like in a modern life. Including Indigenous elders, leaders, parents, creatives, teachers and kids.
Burnout survivor turned minimalist.
Woman balancing life in a megacity.
A mother living rurally and mindfully.
Retired couple living a slow life.
Female athlete finding fulfilment beyond performance.
Narrated by and featuring Jess Stuart
International speaker, coach and author of eight personal development books. Mindset, leadership and gender balance expert with 15 years in HR and a background in the corporate world working with leaders across many countries and industries. A brush with burnout in her corporate career led Jess across the world to train with Buddhist monks and nuns. Highly acclaimed event speaker and proud member of the rainbow community. Experienced on camera and in the media, regularly featured on national and international TV and in print. Sought after global speaker and podcast host.
Check out the speaker reel of Jess
Similar to:
· Walk with me
· My year of living mindfully
· Minimalism
· The story of god with Morgan Freeman
Planned distribution:
· Networks: TVNZ, BBC,
· On demand: Netflix, Apple TV, Prime
· Youtube
· Film festivals
Let’s Collaborate
Seeking partners, funders, and production allies to bring this global story to life.
Check out the manifesto for this movement here.
