Faith like potatoes - part 1 November 29, 2006
Posted by cobus in Emerging Church, South Africa, theology.trackback
I’m typing on my cellphone at the moment, since I’m doing some holiday work away from home, and don’t have internet access. It’s a bit of a shlep, but also wonderful that technology can allow us to keep this kind of contact.
So, I finally got round to watching “faith like potatoes”, but I ended up with such mixed feelings about it
. Fellow believers for whom I have a lot of respect have reacted both positive and negative about the movie. So I’ll try and give you some of my mixed prelimanary thoughts, but won’t do it in just one post.
For the non-South African readers, “faith like potatoes” is a South African movie about a white farmer that turns to Christ and become a big evangelist, performing all kinds of miracles, and based on a true story. For those who saw the movie, I’m sorry, I only saw it once, and now I’m writing this, so might make some mistakes along the way. Feel free to point it out. Be aware of the difference between a mistake and a different interpretation, but mention those too. This might not have been the best acting or photography I’ve ever seen, but I likes the realistic way the South African context was portrayed. I liked the way Angus’s way of relating to blacks changed after his conversion experience, but it was sad that I still got the patriarchal idea even after his conversion. I disliked the idea that the miracles got all the attention (not that I’m against miracles, as I will point out later on), and the orphanage they started basically nothing. But I was glad that it was mentioned that God give to us, so that we can give to others.
If you haven’t seen the movie, do yourself a favour and in see it. And he you have seen it, what was your experience of it, and what is your thoughts on it?
Is this movie showing in the U.S.?
[...] faith like potatoes - part 1 [...]
I don’t know, but don’t think so. Don’t think a lot of South African movies make it to the US
Dis ‘n baie slegte movie. (Cinematographically, in elk geval) Daar is plekke waar jy letterlik kan sien hoe die akteurs in hulle posisies staan voor hulle begin toneelspeel. Laasgenoemde is weens slegte editing. Daar is ook te veel klimakse / oomblikke van katarsis in die film - vir beide kykers en die karakter Angus Buchan. Seleksie en kombinasie is ‘n sleutelwoord wanneer jy ‘n film oor ‘n ware verhaal maak - ek kry die gevoel elke liewe “belangrike” gebeurtenis is sommer net ingeforseer sonder om werklik te dink of dit aanvullend tot die film is.
Ergste van alles is die plethora cranecam shots. Is dit regtig nodig om elke tweede buite-toneel te laat eindig met ‘n panning wide shot van ‘n mielieland / suikerland / berg / vlakte?
I watched this movie while flying home from SA to the US, Very moving and inspiring, It should be distributed in the US.
I am in the UK and am finding it practically impossible to get this DVD, it is not available in the UK, and so far I am waiting to hear from several South African stores if they will send it to me. Even on the FLP website they say that they still cannot sell it to international buyers, but are hoping to in the future….although the link has said that for a long time now. I have a friend who has rated it highly, so I really want to see it.
Ek persoonlik dink dat daar net op sekere gebeurtenisse gekonsentreer word en dat daar nie ‘n volledige afloop is tot die gebeurtenisse nie.
[...] I’m uncomfortable with the whole idea. Also, my thoughts on Faith like Potatoes was published here, here and here, so I don’t care to say another thing on that [...]