ABOUT THE FILM: A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR
My name is Richard Rossi, writer and director of Aimee Semple McPherson. I was inspired stylistically by European filmmakers like Fellini and Bergman. Bergman's close-ups of the hands and faces of the two women in "Persona" gave me a sense of their inner lonliness. I wanted to make our film character-driven, because I knew our movie would not be the epic with a cast of ten thousand extras, but rather an intimate character study, an honest exploration of the pain behind an anointed spiritual healer.
I was also inspired by many guerilla filmmakers of varying ability for their determination to get their movie made with no budget, from Kevin Smith to Robert Rodriguez to Ed Wood. God was with us. We took a leap, and the net miraculously appeared again and again and again. A woman shows up with food for the entire cast because "God told me to provide craft services as a gift to you." One particular day when I had no film or money but showed up on set by faith, someone else delivered me film because "I was praying and the Spirit said, "Richard needs film.'"
The way it all started was Producer Jeff Griffith showed up at my house and said, "Get in the van, I'm taking you to a camera store to buy you cameras, because I'm tired of you talking about making this movie. The condition is, we start shooting today."
"But Jeff, I don't even have anything planned with locations or actors."
"Do you want the cameras?"
Fortunately, my actor friend Joe Gonzalez was home, had a 1920's hat, and supported my creative impulses before, appearing in two of my stage plays at Stella Adler Theatre. We shot from an aerial view of Joe (what Scorcese calls the "priest's view shot") sitting at a desk narrating about Aimee's 1926 disappearance. The hastily assembled shot remains in the film.
Our lighting was not a $1200 Lowell three light kit, but $200 worth of Home Depot lights and stands that we reconfigured to be radio equipment later in the movie.
I'm often asked why I wanted to make the film. I believe what Jesus said, "the truth shall set you free." The truth is that people with spiritual gifts, can often heal everyone but themselves. Aimee McPherson prayed for the healing of over 300,000 people. But she had two failed marriages, a breakdown, died of an overdose, and was not on speaking terms with her mother and daughter at the end of her life.
I worked as a minister meeting the needs of hundreds of others, but secretly I knew the depths of depression and despair. The crippling mantle of religious leadership does not allow one to be human. By God's grace, and through my family and friends, I have turned my life around. This movie is part of my amends for trying to fix the world without fixing myself. The film asks a question: Who heals the healer?
CAST
MIMI MICHAELS: Newcomer Mimi Michaels (pictured above in a hands-on healing prayer scene that moves theatre audiences) is Oscar-worthy in her portrayal of SISTER AIMEE from her teenage years through her controversial death at age fifty-four. Mimi went to LaGuardia Highschool, the "FAME" high school for the top young actors in the country, where she excelled as Best Actress.
RANCE HOWARD: The Christian Examiner recently reviewed, "Rance Howard delivers a strong performance as JAMES KENNEDY..." Rance is a veteran actor in films like "Ed Wood," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "Chinatown," and scores of others. He is the father of Ron Howard, Clint Howard, and grandfather of Bryce Howard. He plays a simple farmer, the father of Aimee who knows her better than anyone.
KIERA CHAPLIN: Stunning blue-eyed, blonde-haired Kiera is the granddaughter of Hollywood royalty Charlie Chaplin. "I'm grateful to act in this film because my grandfather loved Aimee as a close friend and was touched by her amazing sermons." Supermodel Kiera plays the sexy temptress MYRTLE STE. PIERRE, the villain who plots to destroy Aimee.
TERES BYRNE: In addition to her stellar performance as Aimee's mother, MINNIE KENNEDY, Teres is a member of a Foursquare church. Aimee is concerned about the mission, while Minnie watches the money, leading to notorious tension.
CHAD NADOLSKI: Chad delivers a spot-on performance as Irish evangelist, ROBERT SEMPLE, who converts Aimee out of atheism and marries her when she was just seventeen. With no money in their coats, they sail to China as missionaries.
CARL BALLANTINE: Comic legend from "McHale's Navy," and magician "The Great Ballantine," Carl portrays the realtor and compatriate in Hong Kong who first meets Robert and Aimee on their fateful mission in China.
CHARLES HOYES: Beloved actor from "Field of Dreams," Charles portrays Aimee's second husband HAROLD MCPHERSON, a man torn between his wife's love for Jesus, her "heavenly husband," and her desire to follow in Robert's footsteps as a preacher. He is as pragmatic as Robert is spiritual, and eventually the marital fights escalate to separation. "I'm tired of being Joan of Arc's husband," he says.
MICHAEL MINOR: Dashing radio operator of Aimee's pioneering gospel station KFSG, he becomes the focal point of sizzling rumours and a 1926 front-page morals trial in Los Angeles court that threatens to destroy Aimee's temple.
ETIENNE ECKERT & LAURIE SHAW: Aimee's two closest associates, Etienne portrays dear, sweet, EMMA, the only witness to Aimee's mysterious disappearance at Venice Beach. Laurie portrays REBA. Reba preaches in Aimee's stead when she is away on tour. Is she holding the ministry accountable out of pure motive, or is she Aimee's Judas, motivated by self-righteousness and ambition?
RICHARD ROSSI: Writer-Director, Richard also portrays Aimee's third husband, DAVID HUTTON, a guitar-strumming vaudevillian who is just as home in the speakeasies as he is preaching in the pulpit. He breaks Aimee's heart.
BARBARA KERR CONDON: Barbara portrays SISTER MARIA, Aimee's spiritual mother, who first tells her about Robert's revival meetings. Later, she meets Aimee at the height of her fame in Los Angeles, and prophesies the Evil One will attempt to destroy her, because the "greater the anointing, the greater the accusation...."
CHARLES GORGANO: Charles is excellent as District Attorney Asa Keyes, Aimee's adversary in the 1926 trial of the century. Aimee told her story of being drugged and kidnapped, but Keyes and the police accuse her of immorality and obstruction of justice. |
