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Archive for October 2015
Film ‘Woodlawn’ recounts team’s faith after integration
Andrew Erwin, co-director of the film “Woodlawn,” was on hand for a special screening for Woodlawn High School students Thursday. Erwin and his brother, Jon Erwin, began producing the film in 2014. Parts of it were shot at the high school and at Legion Field, where a 1974 game between Woodlawn and Banks High School drew more than 40,000 spectators. The turnout was the largest ever for an Alabama high school football game.
The film focuses on the impact religious fellowship had in unifying black and white members of Woodlawn High School’s football team in the early 1970s during lingering opposition to integration. The movie also highlights the relationship between coach Tandy Gerelds and Tony Nathan, who went on to play for the University of Alabama and in the NFL. Nathan was among the University of Alabama’s first black football players.
“Think about life, think about society, think about the changes in the world,” Birmingham Board of Education member Daagye Hendricks told a theater composed almost entirely of black students, teachers and district officials. “Because what you’ll see is that a lot of things that happened back in the day really haven’t changed much, and it’s gonna be you guys and your leadership that’s gonna make the change going forward.”
“My prayer is, regardless of the demographics now, regardless of how the balance has shifted, you know, the message of what touched this school and this team 40 years ago still plays today,” Erwin said. “I hope it inspires people to know that one person can make a difference and one person can make change.”
Erwin later added that shortly after production began on “Woodlawn,” riots erupted in Ferguson, Missouri, over the shooting death of a black man by a white police officer. He said it made the film’s messages of faith and unity even more timely.
“Right after that, the Eric Garner video came out,” Erwin said, referring to an unarmed black man who died in New York after being put in a white police officer’s chokehold.
“Right after that, you know, Baltimore, Charleston and all of a sudden things I didn’t know were as pressing an issue exploded again and I feel like it became very current.”
Widespread unrest broke out in Baltimore in April following the death of Freddie Gray, a black man who died of injuries received while in police custody. In June, a white man fatally shot nine black parishioners during a bible study in Charleston, South Carolina, in what authorities are calling a hate crime.
“Woodlawn” is Erwin’s third film and he said it’s the most personal story he’s told thus far. The team’s chaplain, played by actor Sean Astin, is based on Erwin’s father, who introduced Erwin to the Nathan and Gerelds families. Former Crimson Tide defensive back Caleb Castille portrays Nathan and Academy Award winner Jon Voight portrays Alabama’s legendary football coach Bear Bryant.
“I knew if I didn’t cast Bear Bryant right I would have to move to another state,” Erwin said before the screening.
Woodlawn senior Shekelah Weatherspoon said she found the film inspiring and that it makes her look at her school and neighborhood in a different light.
“I didn’t know the history of Woodlawn and I didn’t know that that story happened in our community because nobody speaks about it anymore,” Weatherspoon said. “I think that change will come and one day Woodlawn will be a community that everybody will be proud of.”
'Woodlawn': Film Review
The Erwin Brothers' faith-based film tells the true tale of the history-making 1973 Woodlawn High School football team.
Set in racially torn Birmingham, Alabama, the film begins with a prologue depicting the attempt by legendary University of Alabama football coach Bear Bryant (Jon Voight, strongly playing the iconic role) to ease tensions by inviting the integrated USC team to play in his still largely segregated city.
Cut to three years later, when the Woodlawn high school becomes integrated, with football coach Tandy Gerelds (Nic Bishop) welcoming the arrival of such talented black players as Tony Nathan (Caleb Castille, making an impressive screen debut). But the team still struggles to compete against their rivals at Banks High School, led by Coach Shorty White (C. Thomas Howell).
Read More 'All Things Must Pass': Film Review
So when Hank (Sean Astin) shows up at Woodlawn, introducing himself as a "sports chaplain" and asking to address the beleaguered team, Tandy reluctantly agrees. In his impassioned speech Hank asks the players to "choose Jesus" and, much to the coach's amazement, most of the players agree, including Tony.
It doesn't take long for Tandy to see the light as well, suddenly undergoing a religious awakening and getting baptized in a scene featuring Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" on the soundtrack. Even more surprisingly, rival coach Shorty--who previously taunted Tandy during a rain-soaked game by derisively shouting, "Them angels is crying! Them angels is crying!"--is soon also converted.
Meanwhile, Bryant steadfastly pursues rising star Tony, at one point showing up at his home with a suitcase in hand and announcing, "I'm not leaving here until you decide to come to Alabama."
Read More James McAvoy Joins Charlize Theron in 'Coldest City'
The dramatic tension is raised in several episodes, which include Tony refusing to shake Alabama governor George Wallace's hand during an awards dinner, citing Wallace's opposition to school integration; Tandy getting in trouble with the high school board because of his religious activities; and most powerfully, Hank getting the microphone plug pulled while delivering the Lord's Prayer before the big game, only to have the thousands of spectators spontaneously recite it for him.
The Erwin brothers, who have a personal stake in the material--their father, Hank Erwin, is the real-life chaplain played by Astin--lay on the religiosity on a bit thick, occasionally sacrificing credibility and coherence in the process. But the film largely succeeds in achieving its modest goals, delivering a feel-good, real-life inspirational story in a mostly engaging fashion. With its well-staged gridiron sequences and solid ensemble performances, Woodlawn may even manage to lure viewers away from their televised football games over the next couple of weeks.
Production: Crescent Pictures, Red Sky Studios
Cast: Nic Bishop, Sean Astin, Caleb Castille, Sherri Shepherd, Jon Voight, C. Thomas Howell
Directors: Jon Erwin, Andy Erwin
Screenwriters: Jon Erwin, Quinton Peeples
Producers: Kevin Downes, Daryl C. Lefever
Executive producers: Mark Burnett, Holley Ellis, Scott Ellis, Andrew Erwin
Director of photography: Kristopher Kimlin
Production designer: Jaymes Hinkle
Editor: Brent McCorkle
Costume designer: Anna Redmon
Composer: Paul Mills
Casting: Elizabeth Barnes
Rated PG, 123 min.
With 'Woodlawn,' Christian films enter new playing field
Never underestimate the power of pigskin and prayer.
When the government mandated that Woodlawn High School desegregate in 1973, riots and cross burnings ignited Birmingham, Ala. But after a chaplain visited the high-school football team, future Miami Dolphins running back Tony Nathan and more than 40 of his black and white teammates chose to dedicate their lives to God: praying together at practice, meeting for Bible study after school, and ultimately helping to unite the town.
As Birmingham natives, faith-based filmmakers Jon and Andrew Erwin were inspired to bring the true story to the screen in Woodlawn (in theaters Friday), starring Jon Voight, Sean Astin and Caleb Castille.
"It was an anomaly event where an entire football team at once made a decision to love God and to love each other, in a school and a city that didn't know what that meant," says Jon Erwin. "Faith was an absolutely essential part of this story. It wasn't politicians that led the Civil Rights Movement, it was pastors."
Made for less than $15 million and opening on 1,500 screens, Woodlawn could pull in anywhere from $5 million to $10 million its first weekend, predicts Phil Contrino, lead analyst at BoxOffice.com. A sports movie with Christian themes "sounds great on paper," says Contrino, although he doesn't foresee it reaching the heights of recent faith-based dramas War Room ($64.1 million total), Heaven Is for Real ($91.4 million) or Son of God ($59.7 million), all deemed surprise hits by the media when they opened in 2014 and 2015.
"That
narrative should definitely be retired — we should never be surprised,"
Contrino says. "There's a huge amount of people in this country that
identify themselves as Christian. It's not a niche, it's not a
specialized market, it's a huge segment of the population."
While Hollywood has never been able to match the heights of Mel Gibson's controversial The Passion of the Christ in 2004 ($370.3 million), "the potential is always there, for sure," Contrino adds.
Faith-based movies are more likely to cross over to a broader audience if they have established brands behind them, says DeVon Franklin, who appears in Woodlawn and is producing the upcoming Miracles From Heaven, starring Jennifer Garner, out next year. War Room, which topped the box office last month, is from director Alex Kendrick, whose Fireproof (2008) and Courageous (2011) each earned more than $30 million on budgets less than $2 million. Similarly, Christian super-producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey produced Son of God and Woodlawn, and endorsed Heaven Is for Real.
With these movies, "the faith is what leads the conversation," Franklin says. "But because it's coming from a trusted brand, your opportunity to do more at the box office is greater, because audiences anticipate these next films."
The Erwin brothers have yet to establish themselves as box-office draws: Their past efforts, last year's comedy Moms' Night Out and 2011 drama October Baby, pulled in an OK $10.4 million and $5.4 million, respectively. But they have faith in the future of Christian cinema and believe there is enough interest from audiences to continue making them on a bigger scale.
"In five to seven years, we'll see Christian blockbusters," Jon Erwin predicts. "We'll see faith-based films that are as big and competing with Jurassic World. We have the numbers, we have the resources, we're marching up that mountain together. (There's) a couple dozen of us that are forging ahead.
"Sean Astin said to me the other day, 'Jon, I see you and Andy as pioneers or frontiersmen.' I said, 'That's a great compliment. Only trouble is, most frontiersmen die on the frontier.' "
When the government mandated that Woodlawn High School desegregate in 1973, riots and cross burnings ignited Birmingham, Ala. But after a chaplain visited the high-school football team, future Miami Dolphins running back Tony Nathan and more than 40 of his black and white teammates chose to dedicate their lives to God: praying together at practice, meeting for Bible study after school, and ultimately helping to unite the town.
As Birmingham natives, faith-based filmmakers Jon and Andrew Erwin were inspired to bring the true story to the screen in Woodlawn (in theaters Friday), starring Jon Voight, Sean Astin and Caleb Castille.
"It was an anomaly event where an entire football team at once made a decision to love God and to love each other, in a school and a city that didn't know what that meant," says Jon Erwin. "Faith was an absolutely essential part of this story. It wasn't politicians that led the Civil Rights Movement, it was pastors."
Made for less than $15 million and opening on 1,500 screens, Woodlawn could pull in anywhere from $5 million to $10 million its first weekend, predicts Phil Contrino, lead analyst at BoxOffice.com. A sports movie with Christian themes "sounds great on paper," says Contrino, although he doesn't foresee it reaching the heights of recent faith-based dramas War Room ($64.1 million total), Heaven Is for Real ($91.4 million) or Son of God ($59.7 million), all deemed surprise hits by the media when they opened in 2014 and 2015.
While Hollywood has never been able to match the heights of Mel Gibson's controversial The Passion of the Christ in 2004 ($370.3 million), "the potential is always there, for sure," Contrino adds.
Faith-based movies are more likely to cross over to a broader audience if they have established brands behind them, says DeVon Franklin, who appears in Woodlawn and is producing the upcoming Miracles From Heaven, starring Jennifer Garner, out next year. War Room, which topped the box office last month, is from director Alex Kendrick, whose Fireproof (2008) and Courageous (2011) each earned more than $30 million on budgets less than $2 million. Similarly, Christian super-producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey produced Son of God and Woodlawn, and endorsed Heaven Is for Real.
With these movies, "the faith is what leads the conversation," Franklin says. "But because it's coming from a trusted brand, your opportunity to do more at the box office is greater, because audiences anticipate these next films."
The Erwin brothers have yet to establish themselves as box-office draws: Their past efforts, last year's comedy Moms' Night Out and 2011 drama October Baby, pulled in an OK $10.4 million and $5.4 million, respectively. But they have faith in the future of Christian cinema and believe there is enough interest from audiences to continue making them on a bigger scale.
"In five to seven years, we'll see Christian blockbusters," Jon Erwin predicts. "We'll see faith-based films that are as big and competing with Jurassic World. We have the numbers, we have the resources, we're marching up that mountain together. (There's) a couple dozen of us that are forging ahead.
"Sean Astin said to me the other day, 'Jon, I see you and Andy as pioneers or frontiersmen.' I said, 'That's a great compliment. Only trouble is, most frontiersmen die on the frontier.' "
Current Woodlawn students, football players get special screening of 'Woodlawn' movie
The new faith-based movie, "Woodlawn," tells a story inspired by the spiritual awakening that lifted the 1973 Woodlawn High School football team to achieve great things on the field; it was filmed in Birmingham last fall and opens nationwide in about 1,500 theaters nationwide today.
It's a story of football, and features future Alabama and NFL great Tony Nathan and legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, but it's more a story of the civil rights struggle and faith. (Read more about the story behind the film here.)
According to Woodlawn High School football coach Cornelius Turner, it was important for current students and football players to learn the story.
He found that many people--including himself--didn't appreciate the history of Woodlawn.
"I'm sure many of our players and students aren't totally familiar with story of Tony Nathan," Turner said. "I actually just have a minimum knowledge of him. I knew he played here at Woodlawn, at the University of Alabama, and later the Miami Dolphins, but that was it."
"I loved finding out more about the story of Tony Nathan," he said.
To that end, The Edge 12 movie theatre in Birmingham hosted Woodlawn students for a special screening of the film a day before it opened nationwide. Members of Briarwood Presbyterian Church purchased the tickets.
Prior to the screening, filmmaker Andrew Erwin told the students why the story is important.
"There's a power in somebody's true story, somebody that's already walked a similar situation and gone through so much and to see how they overcame, I think that has a lot to say to a new generation," he said. "Hopefully we'll see that and say, wow, one person like that can make an impact, maybe I can, too."
'Woodlawn' Will Have You Up on Your Feet, Down on Your Knees
"Aren't you sick of it? Does this kind of thing happen so much that it just feels normal?" he asks. "What would you say if I told you, 100 percent, it doesn't have to be this way? What would you be prepared to do if there was a better way? If there was an answer?"
This sounds like it could be happening in a high school gym today in Ferguson, Mo., or Charleston, S.C., or Baltimore, Md. -- sadly just a few of the U.S. cities that have been recently ravaged by racially tinged violence and riots. But the story of "Woodlawn," while ripped from the headlines, doesn't come from the stories we read on today's smartphones. It comes from the stories we read in early 1970s newspapers.
The movie tells the true life tale of what happened in Birmingham, Ala., in 1973 -- when the city known as "Bombingham" for its racial woes underwent a spiritual revival that started in that gym at Woodlawn High School. Almost the entire football team - more than 40 players -- responded to the challenge presented to them about a better way to live in their uncertain, unsteady times. They answered "yes" to the question posed by the chaplain. They answered "yes" to Jesus.
My husband Mark Burnett and I are honored to be executive producers of Woodlawn because of the clarity and boldness with which it not only presents the Gospel, but also depicts the power of the Gospel.Love and unity replace fear and hatred in the hearts of the team's players, healing the deep wounds of the city in the process. Teammates no longer see themselves as black or white; they see themselves as brothers in Christ. Their goals become about more than winning games; their No. 1 commitment when they take to field is to glorify God.
Mark and I took on this project because we believe, as Christians, the message of "Woodlawn" is one America desperately needs today. God's limitless love in action is, as the film's posters declare, the one hope, one truth and one way to transforming hearts and communities. But we're story-tellers in the entertainment industry, too: The greatest message in the world won't move audiences unless the film that contains it engages and enthralls them. And "Woodlawn" most definitely does that.
Directors Jon and Andy Erwin have created a movie with some of the most exhilarating and revolutionary football action ever seen on the big screen. The acting is across-the-board superb: Sean Astin as Hank, the chaplain whose impassioned words of hope to the team change their lives and their fortunes; Nic Bishop as Coach Tandy Geralds, who is initially skeptical of his players' spiritual conversion but soon embraces it for himself; Oscar-winner Jon Voight, who embodies the charming, focused essence of University of Alabama coaching icon Paul "Bear" Bryant; and newcomer Caleb Castille, who masterfully portrays the two sides of the real-life Tony Nathan, on whose life the film is based -- thoughtful and humble off the field, fearless and electrifying on it.
Caleb, who just recently turned 24, said something during filming that encapsulates precisely why I think "Woodlawn" is such an important film -- one that will have audiences up on their feet cheering, and down on their knees praying.
"My generation needs hope. We need love. We need reconciliation," he said. "This is a huge, entertaining sports film; but it's more than that, too. It puts out the message that our nation needs most right now, which is revival."
May that message, through this remarkable movie, bring a spiritual awakening and with it hope love and reconciliation.