A true labor of love, Tola’s day-in-the-life tale Boulevard Zen centers around Bobby D'Angelo, a man still steeped in loss and tragic death of his wife and true love, who incidentally doubled as his master yoga teacher. The film also delves into the mind and heart of an unlikely real estate attorney turned yoga master, whose nature inspires his own students through his commitment to form, his clarity of intentions, and the discipline with which he works. With an almost Darwinian approach, he is an exemplary master.
A truly universal story, Boulevard Zen brilliantly and carefully illuminates how the healing effects of yoga can truly be life changing. With both profound physical and spiritual manifestations, the film beautifully articulates yoga’s impact on personal issues such as anorexia, infertility, anxiety, hypertension, depression, domestic abuse and low self-esteem. These are remedied through a 5,000-years-old practice that, at its core, is one of balance, strength and clarity, and ultimately peace.
A film as close to Tola’s heart as to his head, Boulevard Zen’s unforgettable soundtrack was also produced by the director himself. He was also inspired to co-write the lyrics for the movie’s theme song, “Life’s Boulevard,” and can also be heard playing harmonica on “Bobby’s Song” and in the instrumentals.
As versatile as he is active, Tola studied with several master teachers in both Los Angeles and New York, holding degrees from both The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is also a certified yoga instructor with advanced training in yoga therapeutics, as well as a member of the Yoga Alliance.
Through his art, his teaching and his non-profit organization, The Boulevard Zen Foundation, Tola’s aim is a simple but mighty one: to change the world.
