Positive psychology movies teach us something about the human condition, help us face suffering, and shine a light on character strengths. Here I nominate movies for awards for exemplifying authenticity, teamwork, zest, strength paragons, having too much of a single strength, and having constellations of strengths. The article concludes with my nomination for Positive Psychology Best Picture of 2011.

Positive psychology movies are not only the lighthearted films that inspire and elevate us, but also the movies that teach us something about the human condition, help us face suffering, and shine a light on pain and tragedy. You’ll see a mixture of both types of films in my offering of the Positive Psychology Movie Awards for 2011. This is part 1. Come back tomorrow for the awards for character strengths—and the best picture award.

Have you seen any good movies lately? If not, you’re in luck! Announcing the second annual positive psychology movie awards! Here are 10 of the best positive psychology films of 2010. Whether or not they are snubbed by the actual Academy Awards ceremony, each of these films has its merits from a specific positive psychology lens and is worthy of your viewing time.

Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman defined character strengths as the pathways to the virtues valued by moral philosophers and religious thinkers over time. Character strengths are manifested in our thoughts, our emotions, and our behavior. Building from this structure, here are ten principles emerging from the science of character.

The countdown of the top 10 positive psychology films of 2009 is about to begin. These are films that both appeal to a wide audience and have important messages. Many are perfect for use in …

Is there any substance and meaning behind the choice of who wins an Academy Award? In an analysis of 1,132 films, Simonton found that the Oscars do matter; they provide meaningful information about creativity and …

As a psychologist, I observe people. As I interviewed 16 positive psychology leaders under a watchful video crew, I observed my own processes as well as the men and women who shared their expertise and …

In Part 1, I talked about the leaders’ signature strengths. Today, I’ll focus on insights from leaders in our field about how the VIA Classification intersects with Martin Seligman’s original conceptualization of positive psychology during …

At the International Positive Psychology Association’s charter conference, I had the opportunity to simultaneously experience pleasure, engagement, and meaning when I sat down with 16 of the leading thought leaders, researchers, and practitioners in positive …

If Walter Vale – the lonely, isolated professor in The Visitor – walked into my office… he could be described as an automaton, consuming and floating along the surface of life. Walter eats alone, drinks wine alone every night, and is disengaged at work meetings. The Visitor has been selected for the Sundance film festival, the Toronto film festival, and others. Psychologist Corey Keyes of Emory University writes about social well-being as critical in a healthy adjustment to life. … Walter is not socially healthy initially. But he changes. Does he comes alive? [...]