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God on my side - Andrew Denton, Andrew Denton

Threat advisory: Guarded - General risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

It's the end of the world as they know it.

God on my side is a film about faith and the places it can take people. Where it took Andrew Denton was to the 63rd National Religious Broadcaster's Convention in Gaylord, Texas USA, in February 2006, where more than 6000 Christian communicators gathered. The film records what Andrew found. By turns serious and comic and sometimes a little disturbing, it examines the cutting edge of evangelical technology, the business of God, the America of the religious right, and what the inescapable truths of the Bible mean for US foreign policy and the Middle East. Avoiding cheap pot-shots by asking a range of Christians about their beliefs and experiences, the film is complex, layered and surprising.

Why the NRB convention? Why now? Seventy million Americans are born-again Christians. A highly organised, politicised and motivated bloc, they provide more than 40% of President Bush's vote. With an estimated audience of 141 million Americans, the NRB provides key access to this constituency and knows it has a powerful voice.

With his trademark wit and empathy, Andrew Denton's first feature-length documentary is a subtle but powerful piece of filmmaking that will resonate in these increasingly religious times. If the world really is dividing into a Clash of Civilisations, then God on my side raises questions about absolutism in any guise, about the danger in man's ability to put his hand on a book, any book, and say, "This is the truth, the only truth."

Theatrical propaganda posters

God on my side theatrical one sheet image

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film documentary religion Christian USA televangelism conservatives religious broadcast

Persons of interest

Andrew Denton .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

God on my side official movie site
God on my side film production notes
God on my side QuickTime movie trailers
Awards and film festivals:

Sydney Film Festival 2006: World première

See also Jesus Camp, The root of all evil?
Studios and distributors:

Hopscotch Films

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

In the beginning was the word and the word was documentary and the word was God on my side. Then God on my side said let there be light entertainment and there was comedy and it was apart from the documentary.

And five minutes into the film I realised that it was neither documentary nor comedy but horror. These are real people living real lives, believing everything that they say. It's scary. They have the world's biggest economy, the most nuclear weapons, the greatest force projection and they think that a book written in several languages over thousands of years contains not only all the answers but all the questions, too. Literally. They think that the rules of this offshoot of a minor cult should be used to run that economy, force and weaponry.

*Shudders*

Now the filmy stuff. As a documentary this could easily be an ABC special episode of Enough rope. Everything takes place at the convention: most of it is vox pops with a bunch of selected interviews. There is a selection of media available from the stall-holders and a look at the entertainment (Anglo people really shouldn't try to sing - or write - religious music: best leave it to the Polynesians and Africans) but there's no attempt to "take it to the people" to see what the audience makes of all this retail evangelism. That's like asking McDonald's about fast food without talking to the people who eat it. The religious don't seem to realise that religion is a lifestyle choice.

By the way, the world will end in your lifetime. It's not just nigh, it's now.

The documentary, religion movie God on my side is directed by Andrew Denton and stars Andrew Denton.

Theatrical report update

For more information on religious people who see the world with the eyes of their religion - this time a muslim - google Sheikh Taj Aldin Alhilali uncovered meat.