Seventh-day Adventists across the South Pacific have a unique opportunity to engage with their communities through a new feature film that explores the origins of the Adventist Church.
The Hopeful is set to release in cinemas in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu, Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea on October 17. This epic drama provides an inspirational portrayal of the humble beginnings of the Adventist Church during a time of significant social upheaval in 19th century New England. The film captures the passion, struggle, resilience and hope of a group of individuals in search of a better future.
Directed by Emmy Award winning Australian filmmaker Kyle Portbury, The Hopeful tells a story that’s not only inspiring but also deeply relatable. Interestingly, it’s also “full of failure”, according to Mr Portbury.
“I wanted to tell a story about failure, because we all experience failure in our lives,” he said. “In The Hopeful, failure triggers change, new directions, opening up new possibilities that the characters had never seen before.
“If we lose touch with the value of failure and shy away from risk and putting ourselves out there, we may never discover what we are truly seeking, and we won’t change ourselves or the world around us.”
The Hopeful is more than a compelling historical drama; it’s also a unique opportunity to spark meaningful conversations. Adventists are encouraged to invite friends, family and colleagues to screenings and experience the film together.
“Rarely do we get the chance to share a positive story about our Church to the broader community in such a contemporary way,” said South Pacific Division president Pastor Glenn Townend.
“The Hopeful is an incredible opportunity to take someone to a cinematic experience that can initiate conversations about the faith and hope we find in Jesus. This could be the very ticket that transforms someone’s life.”
With its themes of hope and resilience, The Hopeful portrays a loving God who lifts us from our disappointments and brokenness, restoring meaning to our lives. After premiering in the United States in April, the film earned a 93 per cent positive audience rating on the renowned film review site Rotten Tomatoes.
Mr Portbury noted that the film has even garnered praise from film industry professionals, who have not engaged with Adventists before.
“Most of our post-production team moved on to Furiosa two weeks after finishing our film,” he said. “When they’re saying to me, ‘This is a really good movie, Kyle. We’re really enjoying this. This is what our expectation is of cinema’, I thought, Wow! You realise it’s an Adventist story, right? That’s when I realised our stories are on par, they’re as engaging to a general audience as anyone else’s story, so why not tell them.”
For more on the film, listen to our Record Live interview with Mr Portbury: record.adventistchurch.com/record-podcasts/.
To find your closest cinema visit: thehopefulmovie.com.au.
