D I S P A T C H E S

Moral Dilemmas on Screen

Faith on Film Festival 2002, sponsored by the Catholic Communication Campaign, an initiative of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, bridges the connection between faith and art. The festival takes place March 7 - 9 at the Clearview Cinema in New York City. A panel discussion, featuring film critics, scholars and theologians, will follow each screening (their biographies are available here). The complete schedule is available at faithonfilm.com. 

Gerri Par”, director of the USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting, spoke with PopPolitics about the event.

Q. The five films included in this year’s festival are The Apostle, Sophie’s Choice, The Ox-Bow Incident, Children of Heaven and Crimes and Misdemeanors. How were these films chosen and what unites them?

We thought it would be interesting to look at moral dilemmas as the theme of our festival, since everyone in life at some point faces difficult decisions. So we selected films where the characters — preacher Robert Duvall in The Apostle, Meryl Streep’s title character in Sophie’s Choice, a posse in The Ox-Bow Incident, two impoverished children in Children of Heaven, and physician Martin Landau in Crimes and Misdemeanors – faced ethical quandaries. They are very different characters in diverse situations, but all are put to the test and must choose how to behave and accept the consequences.

What is distinctly Catholic about the values and the moral philosophy applied to an understanding of these films?

We will be discussing these films from a Catholic perspective, which addresses questions of free will and good and evil, specifically turning to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Church for moral guidance. And as a Catholic moviegoer, one must apply one’s knowledge and understanding of Church teachings and of faith in interpreting the plot and focus of a particular film.

For example, in The Ox-Bow Incident, much discussion can be had regarding Church teaching on capital punishment. In 1999, U.S. Bishops made a statement appealing to "all people of good will, especially Catholics" to end the death penalty, quoting Pope John Paul II’s encyclical "The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae), where he asked governments to stop using death as the ultimate penalty.

In Crimes & Misdemeanors, the main character struggles with feelings of guilt and accountability ingrained in him by his devout Jewish father. This aspect of the film is a good jumping point for discussion about the difference between tradition and faith.

Some of the issues involved (suicide, adultery) have traditionally been shunned by the Catholic Church. How do you reconcile presenting these issues for discussion?

Certainly the Church has teachings which, for example, forbid adultery and suicide as you mentioned in your question, but that does not in any way preclude us from looking at films that reveal the human condition in all its frailties. We hope by presenting these films and the panel discussions that follow that the audience may gain more insight about why our spiritual values matter so much in both grounding us and helping us navigate through the vicissitudes of life.

In 2000, the films chosen for the festival were more overtly religious (Godspell, The King of Kings, Black Robe, A Man for All Seasons, for example). Is the Catholic Communication Campaign trying to reach a wider audience?

The Faith on Film Festival 2000 was held in the special Jubilee year, celebrating 2,000 years since the birth of Jesus Christ. Therefore, our theme was “Stories of Christ and Christians.” Even so, a number of attendees indicated they were not Catholic, just as this year we think a theme of choosing between right and wrong will have appeal beyond the Catholic audience and all are welcome.

The Catholic Church is known more for its protest of popular culture than its embrace. The film festival, however, seems to acknowledge that "entertainment" can also be used to explore deeper issues. What role do you think popular culture plays in shaping one’s beliefs and values?

Robert Duvall in The Apostle

The Catholic Church realizes the tremendous potential of cinema art to affirm the human spirit. In fact, this festival is a way in which the Church takes the opportunity to recognize films which speak to the human condition. Popular culture definitely plays a role in shaping a person’s beliefs and values, which is why our office reviews films and TV programs. We hope to be of service to Catholics, busy parents in particular, who are concerned about what their children may be watching. We praise worthy films that respect the dignity of the human person, but we must also be honest in taking to task those which exploit violence, sexuality or language, thus demeaning our humanity.

Of the films nominated for Best Picture this year, it seems like both In the Bedroom and The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring would be appropriate for a future Faith on Film festival. Out of all the nominees, which one would you like to see take home the Oscar?

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings, not just because it is based on the trilogy written by devout Catholic J.R.R. Tolkien, but because the noble, humble characters struggle mightily with the powers of evil, yet remain steadfast in their commitment to see righteousness rule the day. It is a well-crafted film with a powerful message that manages to be thought-provoking as well as entertaining.

– Christine Cupaiuolo

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