Down the Arm of God
Made in collaboration with a community of people experiencing homelessness, this indie drama follows a pastor (Caleb Landry Jones) who tries to help his unhoused parishioners despite the prejudices of his congregation.
Filmed in cooperation with a Texas homeless community, and casting the homeless in key roles, the film brings about a very genuine depiction of discrimination and outright ostracism they regularly endure. It was inspired by actual accounts from their everyday life. We are presented with a story, which navigates through both the worst and best in humans.
The story follows a pastor (Caleb Landry Jones) who takes over leading the religious community of a small Texas town. Even though he is at first very warmly welcomed by the locals, they swiftly turn against him and his desire to help people in dire need. They tolerate his first initiative to assist the homeless community living just outside of town, but as the winter grows harsher, so do the attitudes of the locals, unleashing frustrations, racism and ultimate lack of understanding for the ones that are different.
The main theme of this feature is the phenomenon of homelessness in the United States and how the system fails people harshly and disproportionately. The script was co-written by Peter Brunner and Landry Jones and shows us how self-proclaimed, entitled religiousness can be a dangerous tool in an environment where the disadvantaged are not taken with the seriousness and respect they deserve.
In places where Christian teachings do not hold any value if they do not benefit the privileged, statements like “love thy neighbour as thyself” are exclusively performative.
Ljubomir Delevic
Screenings
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Kinopalatsi 7Sat 19.9. at 16.30–18.16106 min, 1/3
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Kinopalatsi 7Sun 20.9. at 20.45–22.31106 min, 2/3
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Kinopalatsi 7Thu 24.9. at 21.00–22.46106 min, 3/3