A Future Generation of Christian Filmmakers is Something We Want to Invest In, Say the Kendrick Brothers.
Alex and Stephen Kendrick, Christian filmmakers, have been working together for 20 years, using the same successful model for their films in which Alex directs, Stephen produces, and both men contribute equally to the scripts.
Flywheel (2003), Facing the Giants (2006), Fireproof (2008), Courageous (2011), War Room (2015), and Overcomer (2019) all followed the same “movie-making blueprint” and were commercial successes. Even in its second weekend in theaters, War Room was the highest grossing film in the United States.
Lifemark (2022), a dramatic picture, was directed by a new generation of Kendricks filmmakers. This film was directed by Kevin Peeples (Like Arrows). Legendary producers Aaron Burns (Legacy Peak, Beyond the Mask) and Justin Tolley (The Chosen) were responsible for its creation.
The film, which Alex and Stephen Kendrick executive produced, is still considered canonical within the “Kendrick Brothers” series.
The switch in duties had been planned.
An individual’s call to the Great Commission is an invitation to mentor and instruct others. In an interview with Christian Headlines, Stephen Kendrick emphasized the need of investing in the youth of today. Since our church [Sherwood Baptist in Albany, Ga.] prayed over us and sent us out into the world in 2013, we’ve been stating that we want to deliberately invest in the next generation of Christian filmmakers.
In the film Lifemark, an 18-year-old high school senior finally gets to meet the woman who gave birth to him. Kirk Cameron plays the adoptive father, and Dawn Long plays the birth mother, with Raphael Ruggero taking the primary part in this film about adoption.
The Kendricks are regular attendees of the Christian Worldview Film Festival, where they have the opportunity to meet other filmmakers from the religion and improve their skills. An additional service provided by the Kendricks is an on-set mentoring program.
It was Stephen Kendrick’s opinion that Peeples, Burns, and Tolley would do well in their new positions.
Stephen Kendrick has commented, “Kevin has assisted us behind the scenes on War Room and Overcomer.” Alex essentially switched roles with the team, moving from quarterback on the field to coach on the sidelines to aid Kevin. Like with Aaron Burns and Justin Tolley, I did the same thing. To be clear, we’re rooting for the other team, but we’re also playing a significant role.
“We’ve never gone and simply abandoned our postings — we’ve been right there with them, sometimes saying, “Way to go,” and sometimes asking, “What are you thinking?” he said with a chuckle. A film that represents the combined efforts of many people’s abilities and ideas was made possible thanks to this lovely, cohesive team.
The majority of commentators praised Lifemark. It’s “undeniably touching,” according to Michael Medved, “with uniformly competent performances generating a spectrum of sympathetic characters.”
On December 13th, it will be available for purchase as a home DVD.
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