I just had the privilege to screen Scenes From An Empty Church at the Chattanooga Film Festival this past weekend and I could not stop thinking about it! This is the kind of film that comes along every now and again that will not fit neatly in a box; that special kind of film that will keep the conversations rolling long after the lights have come up.
I cannot express in mere words how wonderful this genre adjacent gem is! This film explores the endless thoughts of spirituality and the human condition all in the backdrop of an empty New York City cathedral during the pandemic. It explores themes of love, loss, forgiveness and the attempt to understand the soul. All told in an honest, open and skeptical approach to belief and spirituality.
Synopsis:
In a locked-down NYC, two priests open their church doors to those seeking salvation during the most isolating of times. From the commonplace to the truly metaphysical, their visitors reflect the full spectrum of personal crises of spirituality. Throughout their encounters with the city’s sweetest, wildest and weirdest, the two priests learn the importance of connection, empathy and open-mindedness. Sometimes a little faith is all you need to make it through the bad times.
From writer/director Onur Tukel (Catfight) and featuring standout performances from Kevin Corrigan (TV’s Ray Donovan, Lost Girls), Max Casella (Applesauce, Inside Llewyn Davis), and Thomas Jay Ryan (Equals, Fay Grim), Scenes from an Empty Church is a uniquely timely and timeless spotlight on the search for life’s meaning, told with Tukel’s trademark wit and wisdom.
I cannot recommend this film enough! It will likely open your heart and mind, no matter your thoughts on religion and spirituality. In the end we’re only human and will always depend on each other to deliver us from the darkest of places.
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