Frisbee: The Life and Death of a Hippie Preacher

I saw this U.S. premier of a documentary at the Newport Beach Film Festival. It focuses on Lonnie Frisbee, an important figure in the Jesus Movement of the 60s and 70s. There was a Q&A session after the film with Director David Di Sabatino, Frisbee's ex-wife and his brother.

Frisbee discovered God and was called to ministry while on LSD. (The film does a very good job of contextualizing this information.) He became a Charismatic preacher who was influential in the beginning success of both Calvary Chapel and The Vineyard. He was also gay (or perhaps bisexual) and eventually died of AIDS. Many of those who were close to him or who ministered with him abandoned him in his illness.

This is a decent look at a segment of the Jesus Movement. (Di Sabatino still wants to do a broader work on the Jesus Movement.) It's possible that I heard Frisbee at some point since I would occasionally get to Calvary Chapel while it was in the big tent, but if so, he really didn't register with me. Calvary Chapel at that time was an interesting place.

This screening was full. Keep in mind that this is a local story. I'm sure many people were there because they had known Frisbee or because their pastor was in the film.

Di Sabatino did a good job of treating fairly both Frisbee and the other people on whom the film focuses. He explains well the conservative Christian perspectives on homosexuality and sexual sins in general. (And there is more than one perspective.)

The credits call this (rather than "A film by. . .") "A Bible story by David Di Sabatino."That tells you a bit of his vision here. It's not that it is a story taken from the Bible, but he sees in Frisbee a lot of biblical characters (such as John the Baptist or Samson) and imagery (such as prophecy and healing).

One of the things that struck me (coming from a denomination that has openly gay clergy) is that in the film's discussion of attitudes after he is booted from his ministry at The Vineyard, one of the people says that churches wanted his anointing, but not him. My denomination wouldn't have a problem with him being gay; we would be very uncomfortable with the anointing.

As I mentioned there were many people in the audience for this screening that were involved in some of the churches of ministers who don't come out too well in this film. The people weren't antagonistic, but they did raise some questions about some things that Di Sabatino omitted from the film that could have suggested that some of them did in fact reconcile (at least on a personal level) with Frisbee before his death. He admitted that he knew of these stories, but that he wasn't sure such late hour attempts at reconciliation were valid. He also said that it was something he may have to consider more and perhaps include in a reedit.

As yet, there is no distribution deal for this film.

Some good resources:
Website for the film

Peter T. Chattaway's interview with Di Sabatino