Tuesday, May 8, 2007
SFiFF2007 - Audience of One
After "Jesus Camp," here comes another fascinating documentary "Audience of One" (USA 2007, 88 min., shown at the 50th SFiFF), and it's based in the city: San Francisco.
The film tells a story about Richard Gazowsky, a pastor of the Voice of Pentecost Church in San Francisco. He never watched a feature film until he reached 40. But all of sudden, asked by God, he decided to make a film about God and for God. He formed a production company called "WYSIWYG" (What You See Is What You Get). The production claims to have a 200 million dollars funding from Germany, and the crew went all the way to Italy to shoot the movie, yet they failed to pay rents to the city of San Francisco. However, you won't find the finished film at the festival. You have to see it to believe it how the pastor is answering God's calling to make a film. Actually they think God has already seen the film they are about to make, they just need to finish it according to God's vision. That really makes this engaging documentary a comedy to me. I laughed a lot, because I am still surprised for what I am seeing and hearing, and what I am getting. I almost admire the pastor and his followers for their determination if I can stop shaking my heads. I bet God is laughing too, with a wink at the pastor: "Just kidding." |
Labels: SFiFF2007
