Mormon films: Walking a fine line

"Singles Ward," "Saints and Soldiers," and "God's Army" are only a handful of the movies to come out in the past few years with ties to the LDS community. Whether movies are made by LDS filmmakers, are geared toward members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or have LDS themes, they are all classified under the same genre: Mormon film.
 
During the forum at the LDS Film Festival on Jan. 24 at the Scera Shell in Orem, community members, students, and filmmakers came together to discuss the curious status of the current LDS film industry. The main theme discussed is how it is becoming increasingly difficult for LDS films to survive in two different worlds: Mormon audiences versus non-Mormon audiences.
 
Some individuals at the forum expressed the need for filmmakers to market their films exclusively within the Mormon market. Alyssa Rock, an audience member at the forum, feels Mormon films are a great missionary tool, as well as a way of helping to strengthen testimonies and should stay within an LDS market.
 
"Maybe our goal at this point should be perfecting the saints," she said.
 
Other individuals at the forum expressed the need for the industry to be expanded to national audiences. They feel the need for films to be aggressively marketed to non-LDS audiences in order to be successful. 
 
"There is only so much financial viability in the LDS market," said Kathy Cowley, a graduate student at BYU and mediator at the forum.
 
Kels Goodman, a filmmaker who created the LDS film "Handcart," agreed that films need to be marketed to mass audiences, but expressed that it is often difficult to create LDS movies that will appeal to mass audiences.
 
He stated that the ultimate quest for many LDS filmmakers is to create a movie that will "cross over," meaning that a film is popular with both LDS audiences and non-LDS audiences. "Crossing" a film to other markets is often how the success of LDS films is measured.
 
"I don't think we've tapped into telling a Mormon story to a national audience," said Goodman "(Filmmakers) have to find a way to sell the product … to other audiences." 
 
However, when making films for a wide audience, many concerns arise about how Mormons are being portrayed on film. Gideon Burton, an English professor at BYU, stated that some filmmakers are sometimes hesitant to make LDS films with overtly religious themes out of fear of portraying the faith in a wrong or negative light.
 
Burton expressed that the best approach to portraying the LDS faith in a correct light is simplicity. He stated that the LDS message will shine through the film if it is great story telling. Filmmakers don't need to be so conspicuous about religion it to make an impact on wider audiences.
 
Others, however, feel it is necessary to inform people about the LDS faith and to not be ashamed or try to hide it. Several filmmakers expressed the need for the industry to not be afraid to show Mormons as real people and to show the human side of our faith.
 
"To be true to our audiences, we need to show flaws," said Jeff Chamberlain, a writer and filmmaker. "If we want our message to resonate, we need to embrace human drama in our own culture… In an authentic way."
 
Katherine Morris, a recent BYU graduate and mediator at the forum, echoed the sentiments of Chamberlain for the need to embrace our culture when making LDS films.
 
"It takes a self-acceptance of our own culture, including the rough edges," she said.
 
After much discussion and debate, most people in attendance agreed that the key to success in the LDS film industry is balance: a balance between being overtly Mormon and hiding our faith.
 
"As LDS (filmmakers) we are caught between the secular and spiritual. Maybe there is a space that we can be both," said Morris.
 
Chamberlain believes that when LDS films are balanced and portray good, authentic messages then the success that every filmmaker craves will eventually follow.
 
"Art and commerce go hand in hand, " said Chamberlain. "Hopefully we can find a way to marry the two."

The Film Festival is held in the Scera Center for the Arts in Orem, Utah. Movies will be played up until Saturday evening. More information is available at the Web site, www.ldsfilmfestival.org.

E-mail: ajohnson@desnews.com