intersections

Moby: Pale Horses

One of my favorite artists releases a new music video! Enjoy!
Pale Horses, by Moby

apocalypse: the revealing of GOD

Join us this Summer for a journey into popular culture as we search for glimpses of God's kingdom. Click here for more info. Download poster here.

"The Perfect Day" - a Cinema Divina production

The Perfect Day from Cinema Divina on Vimeo.

UPDATE: Now on YouTube as well, here! Spread the word!

The Perfect Day is a result of a 48-hour filmathon by the crew of Cinema Divina. The entire film was written, shot, edited, and had music scored for it within the 48 hour period.

The film, a comedy, follows one month in the life of Dennis, our hapless hero, as he attempts to live just one day perfectly.

For more information about cast and crew or to support Cinema Divina, please visit our website at www.cinema-divina.com

Stained Glass: Hollywood Blvd. (Episode 1)

I just realized that the first episode of the four-part documentary that the North America Division is doing about the Hollywood Adventist Church is now online at the Vervent website.

I'd love for you to have a look at it and tell me what you think. This was written and directed by one of our members, Melody George. (As an aside, you will be hearing a LOT more about Melody in the coming months...just sayin').

There are three churches that are a part of this project and each church will have four episodes. Stay tuned for the rest of these in the very near future.

Now, have a look at Episode one...click here and look under Featured Resources for "Stained Glass: Hollywood Blvd - Episode 1."

48-hour Film-A-Thon

This weekend my congregation is doing something incredible. It's called a 48-hour film-a-thon. Perhaps some of you have heard of this type of thing before, but it was totally new to me. The idea is simple: write, cast, shoot and produce a short film in the space of 48 hours.

We will begin on Saturday night, around 7:30 pm, with the writing process. By 7:30 pm on Monday, we will have a short film in the can. At least that's the plan, and given the creative and talented friends I have in the church, I believe that it is possible. My main role will be some kind of second or third assistant producer (I think) which basically means I do what I'm told (running errands, moving stuff around, helping people with whatever needs help). I'll all be a part of the writing team. I'm pretty excited about this.

Cinema Divina
We're not just doing this film-a-thon because it sounds like a fun project or even just for the end product. Like a walk-a-thon or a bike-a-thon, it is a fundraiser. So, participants are getting sponsors (either a per hour sponsorship or a flat donation). All the proceeds are going to a new production company called Cinema Divina that our congregation is in the process of starting. These funds that are raised this weekend will go toward our first short film that is slated to be made this summer.

So, I could really use your support. Please help me support these uber-talented  filmmakers in our congregation and the other Christian filmmakers in our community by making a pledge toward our film-a-thon.

If you want to pledge, please email me - rjbell  (AT)  hollywoodsda  (DOT) com.

SONscreen Film Festival is coming

I know I'm biased, but I think if you can make it to the SONscreen Film Festival this year, starting April 13 16 at in Simi Valley, you definitely should. All the information about how to register is here.

In addition to the Official Festival Selections there are some other very important screenings that are happening that are very dear to my heart. They include:

• “Stained Glass” Documentary series with Filmmakers Q&A
  
• “Marbles with Thoreau” -- short subject drama (16:00)
• “Jesus People: the movie” -- a feature film comedy (87:00)

The reason this is so exciting for me personally is that these three special features above are done by members of the Hollywood Adventist Church.

"Stained Glass" is a documentary film project commissioned by the North American Division, taking an up-close look at three congregations. One of those three congregations is our church in Hollywood and the film is by Melody George.

"Marbles with Thoreau" is also by Melody George. This is Melody's personal project that has been close to her heart for a very long time. Several others in our congregation have been instrumental in creating this film. This project was four years in the making and I am so excited to see this film.

"Jesus People: the Movie" is a hilarious comedy by my friend and fellow church members, Rajeev Sigamoney. I've seen this film already and I'm just dying to see it again.

Finally, I will be a panelist in a panel discussion on Sabbath afternoon entitled, "Reel Community: Rediscovering the Church's role in a place like Hollywood." You can read more about the panel and the panelists at the website here.

Jesus People: The Movie

Last night I attended the Cast & Crew Premiere of Jesus People: The Movie at the American Film Institute, which just happens to be walking distance from the Hollywood Adventist Church.

Aside from the fact that the film itself is amazing (more on that later) this was especially wonderful event for me because it is intimately connected to the Purple Church. The co-writer, Rajeev Sigamoney, is a friend and member of our faith community. The trailer (above) was edited by Julia Alty, another dear friend and Hollywood Church member. There are at least a dozen church members who are extras, including my daughter, Zoe, and The Purple Church gets a “Special Thanks” in the credits. So, to celebrate this premier with Rajeev and the entire cast and crew was a rare privilege. This 90-minute comedy is a surprising combination of compelling characters and superb acting, hilarious and provocative writing and visionary directing. I can’t say enough good things about this film. Please visit the website – www.jesuspeoplefilm.com - where you can not only view the trailer but you can learn about the cast and crew and keep abreast of future screenings coming to your community. Word is that this film will be screened at the 2009 SONscreen Film Festival in Simi Valley, CA (April 16-18).

The Ordinary Radicals

To learn more about The Ordinary Radicals, click here. h/t - Kori Galvan

Video from the Rose Parade

Here's a short video I shot of the Penn State marching band at the Rose Parade yesterday. I'm still getting used to this little camera. I'm figuring out that the zoom is just a novelty. It really shouldn't be used.



Rose Parade 2009 - Penn State Marching Band from Ryan Bell on Vimeo.

Talking with Robi Damelin and Ali Abu Awwad

Yesterday I had the incredible privilege to sit with two modern-day heroes, Robi Damelin and Ali Abu Awwad (pictured above). Robi's son, David, was killed by a Palestinian sniper. Ali's brother was shot by an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint at the edge of his village in the occupied Palestinian territories. They are featured in the 2006 documentary, Encounter Point, which tells the story of the Parents Circle-Families Forum, where they are active leaders.

Before the meeting started I approached Robi and extended my hand. She greeted me warmly and said, "I'm Robi." I said something like, "Yes I recognize you," which seemed to surprise her (I'm not sure why. She's become quite famous). She asked me who I was and what Seventh-day Adventists were. After an awkward and stumbling explanation she smiled and said words I'll never forget, "I don't care what religion you are as long at it makes you into a human being." This seems exactly right to me. But I also realize that this is not an uncomplicated statement. Many would be quick to point out that it is naive in it's liberal idealism. This remark from Robi was juxtaposed against my recent reading of Carl Raschke's latest book, GloboChrist. I read more than half the book when it first came out at the beginning of the summer and then put it down for a variety of reasons. I just finished it a few minutes before heading over to Stephen S. Wise Temple for this meeting. Still ringing in my ears were these works of Raschke:

The only way Christianity can hope to succeed against Islam in today's global context is to put aside the secularist project altogether.... Christianity today must become far more radial than it has ever imagined (114).

Though we do not need to conceive of a Christian jihad, mainly because it would be instantly misconstrued, Augustine's point is something of which Christians need to remind themselves. The fulfillment of the Great Commission will not be without struggle. The struggle is ultimately a spiritual one, but it is real, it is contemporary, and it will become more intense as the years wear on. Through dialogue, Muslims and Christians may come come to agree on common points of their mutual Abrahamic faiths, but the differences will always outweigh the similarities. The differences make the difference. Islam is founded on an absolutely objectivist revelation that we either accept or reject. Christianity is founded on a revelation in the person of Jesus, to whom we give the whole of our life and being.... We are engaged not so much in a struggle for the doctrinal truth of our faith as in a struggle to manifest the presence of Christ in what we know as the radical relationality that is at the heart of our commitment to the One who gave his life for each of us and for others (115).

In these statements, and in the next chapter, Raschke depicts an inevitable "collision of eschatologies." I am troubled by these things. Why does Christianity have to succeed AGAINST Islam? Why must religion be a zero-sum game? I am not suggesting a relativism in which every belief and every practice is equally valid. There are genuine problems with both the Christian Bible and the Qur'an. But Raschke himself admits that the Mahdist tradition upon which much of militant Islamism is based is not even a part of the Qur'an.

As I sat with Robi and Ali in a small, intimate setting with 20 other religious leaders from Jewish, Christian, Muslim and B'ahai faiths, talking about religious and political conflict, and as I thought about Robi's definition of good religion as that which makes you into a human being, I wondered again about the value of our various exclusive truth claims. Must the other "lose" in order for me to "win?" Why do we persist in talking about our faith in terms of winning and losing?

Toward the end of our time together Ali said, "It's so easy to be right. Everyone is right. What is difficult is to be honest." The Parents Circle believes that honesty and conversation is the way to peace in their war torn country. Even for me, their honesty was shocking and refreshing.

Huge thanks to my friend, Rabbi Ron Stern, for making this possible and hosting this conversation at his congregation, Stephen S. Wise Temple.

MORE:

• I first heard of Robi and Ali and the Parents Circle from the amazing radio show, Speaking of Faith, with Krista Tippett. You can hear that remarkable interview for yourself and read more about their story here. THIS IS THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO TO UNDERSTAND THEIR STORY!
• Check out the website for the documentary, Encounter Point, and watch the trailer. The doc is available on Netflix.com.