There Be Dragons

I am running late this morning, but I wanted to take just a moment to make sure that you all know about the upcoming release of the film There be Dragons. The film is set during the Spanish Civil War. It follows the lives of two men. One becomes a soldier and the other a priest. Can you guess where this is going? The priest is St. Josemaria Escriva. This is a secular, mass market movie, but it is a very respectful portrayal of St. Josemaria in particular and of the vocation to the priesthood in general.

One of my favorite books is Dream and Your Dreams Will Fall Short, which tells stories from the early days of Opus Dei, especially during the Spanish Civil War. I am hoping that when I see this film I will have some visual images to accompany the stories.

Opus Dei was not involved in producing this film, but the St. Josemaria Institute is helping to spread the word about it, for two very important reasons. The first is obvious, but this is much more than just self promotion. This film tells a dramatic story in an old fashioned Hollywood way, so if it succeeds it is a chance to show the film industry that good movies are worth making. This director was nominated for an Academy Award for The Mission. I am hopeful that well used media can help us to want to be better people, and movies are a great way to start conversations with friends and young people.

“The film shows us, that like St. Josemaria Escriva, we should never doubt God’s love for us. It challenges us to have the same courage to follow God’s will, especially when we are unsure of the future.” – Bishop Felipe Estevez of Miami

The opening weekend is May 6,7,8. There are buy outs in many cities, so there will be free tickets available for opening weekend. For more information, check out this website.