Film Director Steps Out on a Ledge with New Atheist Movie
THE CHRISTIAN CENTURY
By Kimberly Winston
HOLLYWOOD - In the new film "The Ledge," a man perches high above the city, ready to jump to save the woman he loves. As storylines go, perhaps it's not the most original. But what is unusual about this film, said writer/director Matthew Chapman, is that its hero is an atheist, set aloft to illustrate two themes close to Chapman's heart. Chapman says the film is a work of both art and activism. He hopes it will entice atheists and other freethinkers "out of the closet" and into the mainstream. "I am hoping that people will watch this, both atheists and believers, and have a discussion about this," he said. The film has met with almost universally bad reviews from the media and mostly positive reviews from the freethought community. Greta Christina, an atheist, praised the film on Alternet and examined its potential to be the atheist version of "Brokeback Mountain," which was credited with broadening the acceptance of same-sex relationships. Whether "The Ledge" will advance freethought remains to be seen. There are no plans for a wider release. The film can viewed online through video-on-demand at iTunes and SundanceNow. [link]
By Kimberly Winston
HOLLYWOOD - In the new film "The Ledge," a man perches high above the city, ready to jump to save the woman he loves. As storylines go, perhaps it's not the most original. But what is unusual about this film, said writer/director Matthew Chapman, is that its hero is an atheist, set aloft to illustrate two themes close to Chapman's heart. Chapman says the film is a work of both art and activism. He hopes it will entice atheists and other freethinkers "out of the closet" and into the mainstream. "I am hoping that people will watch this, both atheists and believers, and have a discussion about this," he said. The film has met with almost universally bad reviews from the media and mostly positive reviews from the freethought community. Greta Christina, an atheist, praised the film on Alternet and examined its potential to be the atheist version of "Brokeback Mountain," which was credited with broadening the acceptance of same-sex relationships. Whether "The Ledge" will advance freethought remains to be seen. There are no plans for a wider release. The film can viewed online through video-on-demand at iTunes and SundanceNow. [link]
Comments