‘The Hopeful,’ film about Adventist origins, debuts in theaters

[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nn(RNS) — A lifelong Seventh-day Adventist, Emmy Award-winning director/producer Kyle Portbury wasn’t always vocal about his faith tradition.Growing up, he recalls hesitating to talk about going to church on Saturday or observing a 24-hour Sabbath, fearing friends would find his faith “weird.” But after years of directing and co-producing “The Hopeful,” a film about the birth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, he’s discovered that people are more open to learning about his tradition than he thought.
“I think what it’s allowed me to do is feel confident that, actually, the origins of my faith are credible, and they are appealing to other people, and I’m going to be comfortable talking about that,” Portbury told Religion News Service. “It has hugely changed the way that I relate to my faith.”
Distributed by Fathom Events, the film is premiering in over 900 theaters across the U.S. for a limited release on April 17 and 18. And it isn’t just for Adventists — according to Portbury, the film tells a universal story about hope amid despair for people of all ages.
RNS spoke to Portbury about the story behind the film, misconceptions it addresses and what people of all faiths can glean from it. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Why did you say yes to this project?
Kyle Portbury. (Photo by Jeremy Cowart)
I think it’s always fascinating when you look at stories that have been mythologized. The …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]