Hoover Street Revival
Synopsis
This unique and innovative film takes as its subject life, death and the Word of God as experienced around Greater Bethany Community Church, in the notorious urban community of South Central Los Angeles.
Structured from Christmas to Easter, Hoover Street Revival weaves Bishop Noel Jones' electrifying sermons into a passionate and eloquent thematic narrative. The ecstatic church event and its vivacious gospel, plays against the world outside the church. Intimate, comic, mundane, tragic and revealing moments form a kaleidoscope portrait transforming this 'ghetto' into a microcosm of the contemporary world. Through Fiennes' visual language and sensitive focus everyday life constantly echoes and responds to Jones' inspired sermons, deliberately raising questions for which the audience must seek the answers for themselves.
Music plays a key role, creating a visceral experience of the supernatural relationship between music and praise that is so particular to the Pentecostal church. In addition to mesmerising gospel sequences and music heard, played or sung in the background of documentary materials, the film pays subtle homage to the musical talent historically nurtured in the gospel choirs of African American churches across America. Jones' own sister is diva Grace Jones.
Details
- Year
- 2003
- Type of film
- Features
- Running Time
- 100 mins
- Format
- 35mm
- Director
- Sophie Fiennes
- Producer
- Pierre Olivier Bardet
- Executive Producer
- Kees Kasander
- Editor
- Brian Tagg
- Sound
- Brian Tagg
- Music
- Various
Production status
Complete
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Last updated 24th June 2005
