Many things in life can test a believer’s faith, but what do you do when the test is a family tragedy? How do you make sense of the loss of a loved one? Where is God in the midst of seemingly meaningless loss and strife? “A QUESTION OF FAITH” portrays the struggle of three families of differing ethnicities as they seek to answer these difficult questions.
In one of the best faith-based films I have seen, “A QUESTION OF FAITH” brings three different families together through a tragic accident stemming from texting and driving. A pastor and his family wrestle with God’s plan for their lives. A mother and daughter struggle to find faith. And a couple desperately seeks a way to save their child. All of their lives converge as the question of each person’s faith plays out and they come to discover God’s love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
The film, appropriate for the whole family and for both Christians and non-believers, has a stellar cast, including Richard T. Jones (“Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married,” “Judging Amy”), Kim Fields (“Facts of Life”), C. Thomas Howell (“The Amazing Spiderman,” “E.T.”), Gregory Alan Williams (“Greenleaf,” “All Saints”), Jaci Velasquez (“I’m Not Ashamed,” Platinum Christian Recording Artist), T.C. Stallings (“War Room,” “Courageous”), Donna Biscoe, Amber Nelon Thompson, Karen Valero and Marliss Amiea.
Additionally, “A QUESTION OF FAITH” holds the designation as the first faith-based film produced by a female African American producer, Angela White, a veteran producer of Silver Lining Entertainment.
The film’s characters illustrate a genuine question of faith and belief in the Almighty amidst timely topics, such as racial prejudice, texting and driving, organ donation, and forgiveness. It also portrays many strong female characters, another timely issue the film doesn’t shy away from. Breaking most industry norms, the women in the movie support their husbands and at times lovingly push the men toward God. “I tried to show the women as not antagonizing,” Angela White, the film’s producer, explained to me. “No emasculation of the men occurs, and I just wanted to show strong female characters that are tough but grounded.” That’s not to say the film doesn’t give depth to the male characters, as the story is mainly told from a minister’s perspective. “I felt if anyone was going to struggle the most, it’d be a man of God,” White details. “I can’t tell you how many pastors have said to me, ‘Thank you for showing us in a human light, and thank you for reminding us that our first ministry is at home!’ It was really important that we used a man of God, that character, to be our tour guide.”
“A QUESTION OF FAITH” also holds the designation as the first film that has ever been day-screened for members of Congress. “The reason why is because of the racial healing in the script,” White told me the day of the screening. “We are the first ever faith-based film to screen for the Capitol in the Capitol [building]. People need to see people on opposite political ends work together, of opposite races work together, so I’m happy that our film is now becoming life. We are actually living out what we say in our film.”
That’s the tension the film plays out: how do we live out our faith amidst tragedy that doesn’t make sense? But White hopes the film will also help educate viewers on the dangers of texting and driving (the statistics are staggering) and the importance of organ donation. “There are a lot of myths about organ donation. We’ve been educating people—we’ve partnered with Donate Life America—on the real need of organ donation.” She prays her passion for highlighting real life issues in films to educate audiences will make a difference to both Christians and non-believers alike.
“A QUESTION OF FAITH” releases nationally from Pure Flix on September 29, 2017. For more information or to buy tickets, please visit http://aquestionoffaith.com/.
