Naturally, he refuses, and since the film refuses to disclose any reasons for the subpoena, the audience is encouraged to assume that the widespread persecution of all Christians is at hand. White, “Moms’ Night Out”) is subpoenaed and ordered to turn over copies of his recent sermons to local authorities. In a seemingly unrelated subplot - stay past the closing credits for an explanation - returning character Reverend Dave (producer David A. She engages the services of defense lawyer Tom Endler ( Jesse Metcalfe, “Desperate Housewives”), while the prosecution (heavily implied to be from the American Civil Liberties Union) arrives in the form of character actor Ray Wise (“Twin Peaks”), a man whose face can turn demonic with the barest of smiles. Here, it becomes a referendum on the existence of God, and the public use of the name “Jesus.”Īlso Read: 'God's Not Dead 2' Set to Keep Faith-Based Caravan Rolling at Box Office Appropriate from a pedagogic standpoint, in a real classroom this statement of historical fact wouldn’t raise an eyebrow. and Gandhi, explains to students the Christian underpinnings of King’s philosophy of non-violence, and faces the loss of her job for doing so. Arkansas high school teacher Grace Wesley ( Melissa Joan Hart, “Melissa & Joey”), in the course of a lesson about Dr. The sequel, though, attaches itself to a very real American political phenomenon, the upsurge in the number of states considering or passing religious liberty bills into law.
Chick, its variations refresh themselves over time, yet have no basis in fact. A decades-old story circulated around the internet, and, before that, in sermons and religious comic tracts from legendary publisher Jack T.
That 2014 release reworked, to pointed effect, an urban legend centered on a Christian college student triumphing in a debate over the existence of God with an atheist philosophy professor. See Video: Melissa Joan Hart Fights Big, Bad ACLU in Trailer for 'God's Not Dead 2' This is the world of the “God’s Not Dead” franchise. The films made and seen primarily by Christian audiences, however, are much more likely to embrace the coded, often politically charged language of conservative Evangelicals. They resist easy answers and, while assertively Christian, do not proselytize. The films designed for a mass audience are quieter, more personal and less aggressive. Its success in the multiplex is represented by mainstream fare such as “Heaven is for Real” and “Miracles from Heaven,” yet it was jump-started by rough-hewn, cheaply made, independent releases such as “Fireproof,” and turned into a head-turning business concern by the box-office fire of “God’s Not Dead” and “War Room.”īeyond the differences in production values and competency in execution, the two product streams represent a crucial contrast in tone.
The sales slate includes new titles God Bless The Broken Road, I Am Not Ashamed, Joseph & Mary, and Apostle Peter: The Redemption.The American Christian filmmaking industry currently runs on parallel tracks.
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Dominus licensed God’s Not Dead for Italy.ĭo You Believe? has gone to Apex for South Korea, Sinema TV for Turkey, and Crossroads for Australia in a package that included Turn Around Jake.īlack Rider has gone for Japan (New Select), and Gell has closed a package of five films with California Filmes for Brazil: Faith Of Our Fathers, Black Rider, Dancer And Dame, Turn Around Jake, and Ambushed.ĬMD has taken Dancer And The Dame, Faith Of Our Fathers, Hope Bridge, Old Fashioned, Turn Around Jake for South Africa, while BBI in Benelux has acquired Do You Believe? Ambushed, Hope Bridge, Old Fashioned, and Faith of Our Fathers. Tanweer has picked up God’s Not Dead and God’s Not Dead 2 for the Middle East and vice-president of international sales and distribution Gell is closing in on sales for mainland China and Sri Lanka. Gell has licensed rights for Australia (Crossroads), Hong Kong (United Artists), Latin America, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Scandinavia (California Filmes), Germany (Other Films), South Korea (Sycomad), and Eastern Europe/Poland (Revolutionary Releasing/Monolith), and Africa (CMD). God’s Not Dead 2 screens in the market at Cannes today and Monday and opened in the US last month, where it has grossed more than $20m theatrically. Pure Flix / Quality Flix sales chief Ron Gell, in Cannes with a slate of new titles, has cut a raft of deals on God’s Not Dead 2, the follow-up to the 2014 faith-based US smash.