MissionFest Toronto – The Enemy God Screening

The Enemy God tells the amazing true story of a Yanomamö shaman and the spiritual battle for freedom for his people. If you are in the Toronto area, you won’t want to miss this special event.

We’re please to announce a special screening of our film, The Enemy God, in Toronto on February 19th. That’s next Saturday night. It is hosted by MissionFest Toronto and will be held at Catch The Fire Ministries.

The Enemy God tells the amazing true story of a Yanomamö shaman and the spiritual battle for freedom for his people. If you are in the Toronto area, you won’t want to miss this special event. Here’s what ministry leaders have said about the film:

“This is an intense film. It is sometimes graphic; sometimes heart wrenching,  but always engaging… expect to experience   a perspective you’ve  never felt before.” – Doug Lucas, Missions Leader, Team Expansion

“…the point of Shake’s testimony is very clear. Sinful man without Christ is frightening and abhorrent. Evil spirits control him. Jesus Christ brings health, peace, and prosperity, even to isolated people like the Yanomamö.” – Dr. Ted Baehr, Movieguide.org

More information about the screening can be found at: MissionFest Toronto – The Enemy God.

Belize Benefit Screening of “The Enemy God”

Folks in Belize are rightly proud of the work they did on our film, The Enemy God. We’re pleased that they’ve selected the film as part of this special benefit festival. This is from a note we received this week from the festival Director:

THE RADISSON FORT GEORGE HOTEL, THE BELIZE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL and the NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CULTURE AND HISTORY are collaborating to present a selection of  films made in Belize – during the month of September, 2010 – which as you know is a month of national pride for us. All entrance  proceeds from this screening will go to the Stella Marris School of  Special Education in Belize City.

Your  film THE ENEMY GOD has been pre-selected to be a part of this special screening.

The work our K’ekchi’ Maya actors and our many other Belizean crew members did on the film is a testimony to their creativity and dedication. As indigenous people, constantly looked down-upon by others, our friends told us that the film proves that the K’ekchi’ are capable of great things. Now, once again, the people of Belize will have a chance to see the fruit of our labors together.

Too Harsh? Or…

…movie reviews: ______ didn’t have people living Christian lives. Therefore, ______ stinks. Also, there is swearing.

I saw this tweet yesterday from @cinexcellence: “WORLD magazine movie reviews: ______ didn’t have people living Christian lives. Therefore, ______ stinks. Also, there is swearing.”

I’ve been on the receiving end of good and bad reviews for my film work. In some cases, Christian reviews do seem to take this rubber-stamp, reactionary approach. In other cases, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by reviews – from very conservative audiences – that let me know that they understood the film, what we were trying to accomplish, and why it contained ‘objectionable’ elements. [“The Enemy God” has nudity, violence, drug use, occult practices – the whole deal – within the context of a highly redemptive and God-honoring story.]

My favorite is when we get something like a ‘highly recommended’ but a 2 out of 5 rating. The ratings are based on content elements that may offend people. But the film is excellently done and compelling! I think that’s an OK place to be.

The Second Trail – God Behind The Scenes

It was about a dream fulfilled and a God who made it all come together. I couldn’t put it down!”

The Second Trail
The Second Trail - Behind the scenes of The Enemy God

“This book is an exciting adventure in the art of filmmaking in a challenging environment and among diverse cultures.  It was about a dream fulfilled and a God who made it all come together.  I couldn’t put it down!” – Lita Stang

Sometimes, the stories behind a film equal the drama and emotion of the film itself. The making of our film, The Enemy God, has those kinds of stories behind it. Now, in a new book, Amber Castagna, one of the crew members on the film, captures the drama, the joys, the pain, and the miracles we saw in bringing one of God’s stories to the screen.

Amber has written her own account of the film in this new book, The Second Trail. We’re happy to be making it available alongside the DVD of the movie and some other books that tell about what God has done among the Yanomamö of Venezuela. You will be amazed and encouraged by this book!

Click here to check out the book: The Second Trail – The Making of A Yanomamö Film « The Enemy God – The Movie.

One of the Most Unique (and Engaging) Movies Ever Made

I felt as if I was living inside the body of a Yanomamo tribesman. Honest — this movie is stirring.

It’s always nice to hear endorsements of your work from people you really respect. Doug Lucas is is very involved in cutting-edge training and information related to seeing the gospel transform every culture. He publishes a weekly e-mail update with news of all kinds at Brigada.org. Here’s a review of our film, The Enemy God, that Doug wrote recently.

“Yai Wanonabalewa (The Enemy God)” has to be one of the most unique movies ever produced… and it’s now been released on DVD.

Hear me well: This is an intense film… It is sometimes graphic, sometimes heart-wrenching, but always engaging. My advice for professors of seminary classes looking for something related to spiritual warfare, anthropology, world religions, and Cross-cultural communications: Run, don’t walk, to order a copy. To anyone working in folk religions, you finally have an inside view to what goes on “inside their heads.”

I can’t even put into words the “point of view” from which the story is told… because it seems to be totally Yanomamo… cross-cultural. I felt as if I was living inside the body of a Yanomamo tribesman. I spent much of my time fearing what might come next. Honest — this movie is stirring. If you have a missionary working among tribal peoples, this will give you a new perspective on prayer and its potential to make a difference. Don’t expect a heart-warming, feel-good story like something from a Disney kids’ film. Expect to be sobered. Expect to experience a perspective you’ve never felt before.

Read the whole article from Brigada.org here: One of the Most Unique (and Engaging) Movies Ever Made.

Book Of The Year: Growing Up Yanomamö

…was recently voted “Book of the Year, Biographies” by the Christian Small Publishers Association.

Growing Up Yanomamö
Growing Up Yanomamö

I was excited to hear that a friend’s book, Growing Up Yanomamö, was recently voted “Book of the Year, Biographies” by the Christian Small Publishers Association.

“… a bit of Huck Finn, with an Amazon twist.” says Simon Romero, Andean Bureau Chief, “The New York Times”

It’s a fun read, about Mike Dawson’s years growing up in the jungle as the child of missionary parents. He also reveals some very personal trials and his experiences of how God’s faithfulness is demonstrated in every circumstance.

You can buy the book here on our web site. Look for the special pricing on the book bundled with The Enemy God DVD.

Mike also happens to be one our our Executive Producers on The Enemy God film. He brought continuity between our indigenous partners and our filmmaking team that was essential to making a truly authentic film.