Join us for the 21st Annual Reel Religion Film Festival. Reservations Required.

Presenting films with diverse topics from various nations offered to appeal to adults and youth.

Discussion leaders will facilitate brief conversations following the films.

Drinks and Popcorn:

Throughout the film showings, Free bottled water, popcorn and coffee will be provided at University Christian Church. Enjoy snacks as you watch films.

Lunch:

A box lunch will be available on Saturday, February 1, starting at noon. Cost is $15 per person. Lunch choices are: Turkey and Havarti cheese, Roast Beef and Cheddar cheese, and Vegetarian. Lunches include fruit and a cookie. Paid reservations for the box lunch must be made by Wednesday, January 29.

Schedule of Events:

January 31, 2025:

Friday Night Movies:

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Atonement (2007)

2 hrs 3 minutes
Director: Joe Wright
Stars: Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan
Rated R for disturbing war images, language and some sexuality
Drama, Mystery, Romance, War

This acclaimed film tells a story of the power of a tragic lie. When 12-year-old Briony Tallis misinterprets an incident she encounters in the garden of her family's estate, she sets into motion a series of misunderstandings that will have lifelong repercussions for her entire family, and haunt her own life forever. 2008 Golden Globe winner for Best Motion Picture - Drama

Discussion Leader: David Grebel, Celebration Community Church

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Lady Bird (2017)

1 hr 34 minutes
Director: Greta Gerwig
Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Mecalf, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet
Rated R for language, sexual content, brief graphic nudity and teen partying
Drama - Comedy

A bittersweet coming-of-age comedy with an honest portrayal of teenage life. Christine McPherson, who calls herself "Lady Bird", is a high-school senior who longs for adventure, sophistication, and opportunity, but finds little of those things in her Sacramento Catholic high school. The film captures the point between childhood and adulthood, where a teenage girl needs her mother, but really needs a taste of independence just as much. 2018 Golden Globe for both Best Picture, Comedy or Musical, and Best Actress

Discussion Leader: Emily Maples, Broadway Baptist Church

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: The Birdcage (1996)

1 hr 57 minutes
Director: Mike Nichols
Stars: Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman
Rated R for language
Comedy

Armand Goldman owns a popular drag nightclub in South Miami Beach. His long-time companion, Albert, stars there as Starina. "Their" son, Val (actually Armand's by his one fling 20 years before) comes home to announce his engagement to Barbara Keeley, daughter of Kevin Keeley, U.S. Senator and co-founder of the Committee for Moral Order. The Senator and family visit South Beach to meet Val, his father and "mother." What ensues is comic chaos.

Discussion Leader: Carol West, Celebration Community Church

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: The Holdovers (2023)

2 hrs 13 minutes
Director: Alexander Payne
Stars: Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolf, Dominic Sessa
Rated R for language, some drug use and brief sexual material
Drama - Comedy

Over the Christmas holiday in 1970, unpopular teacher Paul Hunham (Giamatti) remains at a New England boarding school to supervise students unable to journey home. After a few days, only one student remains. Angus, a good student prone to bad behavior, Mary, the head cook and Paul form an unexpected Christmas family, and share a string of misadventures during two very snowy weeks in New England. 2024 Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress.

Discussion Leader: William Butler, University Christian Church

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Whistle Down the Wind (1961)

1 hr 39 minutes
Director: Brian Forbes
Stars: Haley Mills (age 12), Bernard Lee, Alan Bates
Unrated
Family Drama

In this heart-warming family film, set in far northern England, three farm children come to believe that a fugitive criminal hiding in their barn is the second coming of Jesus Christ. It becomes their job to try to hide him from interfering grown-ups. While the local Vicar is preoccupied with some missing guttering from the church, he is entirely unaware that real spirituality exists in the barn down the road - in the hearts of children.

Discussion Leader: Shannon Moore, University Christian Church

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Zone of Interest (2023)

1hr 45 minutes
Director: Jonathan Glazer
Stars: Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller, Johann Karthaus
Rated PG-13 for difficult thematic material
Drama, Foreign Language (German) with Subtitles

In German-occupied Poland during the summer of 1943, SS officer and Auschwitz Commandant Rudolf Hoss and his wife Hedwig create a peaceful and idyllic lifestyle in their family home just outside the walls of the death camp. The Commandant's wife and children live in cloudless bliss, oblivious to the noxious fumes and muffled, blood-curdling noises emanating from the camp just over the garden wall.  2023 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film and Best Sound.  

Discussion Leader: Judy Stempel, University Christian Church

February 1, 2025:

Saturday Morning Movies:

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: It Ain't Over (2022)

1 hr 39 minutes
Director: Sean Mullin
Stars: Andy Andres, Roger Angell, Mary Appel
Rated PG for smoking, some drug references, language, and brief war images
Documentary - Sports

An intimate portrait of a misunderstood American icon, this documentary about Yogi Berra takes us beyond the caricatures and Yogi-isms, and into the heart of a sports legend whose unparalleled accomplishments on the baseball diamond were often overshadowed by his off-the-field persona. The documentary highlights his exceptional character, his baseball skill and his wisdom. Viewers learn about Yogi's unequaled stats, and hear commentary from other all-star players and sports analysts, his family and regular fans.

Discussion Leader: Peter Nelson, Broadway Baptist Church

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Rustin (2023)

1 hr 46 minutes
Director: George C. Wolfe
Stars: Coleman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Turman
Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some violence, sexual material, language, racial slurs, brief drug use, and smoking
Docu-Drama - Biography

In 1963, Bayard Rustin, a political activist inspired by the speeches and actions of Martin Luther King, was given the task of organizing the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. He put his heart and soul into motivating his co-workers. At that historic assembly at The Lincoln Memorial, Dr Martin Luther King gave his famous "I Have a Dream " speech. While King's powerful speech made headlines around the world, Rustin received virtually no recognition for his vital behind-the-scenes contributions to the success of the Civil Rights movement. And it soon became obvious why: Rustin was a gay Black man.

Discussion Leader: Estrus Tucker, DEI Consultants

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: The Good Liar (2019)

1 hr 49 minutes
Director: Bill Condon
Stars: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen
Rated R. Caution! Strong language and violence, brief nudity
Drama - Suspense

Career con artist Roy Courtnay can hardly believe his luck when he meets mild-mannered,  well-to-do widow, Betty McLeish online. Roy has a profitable business swindling naïve, but cash-rich older ladies, whom he romances and then scams. As Betty opens her home and life to him, he is surprised to find himself actually caring about her, turning what should be a cut-and-dried con job into the most treacherous tightrope walk of his life. This cautionary tale about the risks of falling for online fraud keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.

Discussion Leader: Larry Lauger, University Christian Church

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: The Lost King (2022)

1 hr 48 minutes
Director: Stephen Frears
Stars: Sally Hawkins, Shonagh Price, Steve Coogan
Rated PG-13 for some strong language and suggestive references
Drama

Based on the incredible true story of an amateur historian, Philippa Langley, whose unrelenting research led to the 2012 discovery of the remains of English King, Richard III, under a parking lot in Leicester, England. The Lost King is the life-affirming true story of a woman who refused to be ignored, and who took on the country's most eminent historians, forcing them to think again about one of the most controversial kings in England's history.

Discussion Leader: Harry Parker, TCU and University Christian Church

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: The Quiet Girl (2022)

1 hr 35 minutes
Director: Colm Bairéad
Stars: Catherine Clinch, Carrie Crowley, Andrew Bennett
Rated PG-13 for some strong languge and smoking
Drama - Foreign Language (Gaellic) with Subtitles

Set in 1981 in rural Ireland, this film tells the story of a young girl, Cáit, who is sent for a summer away from her dysfunctional family to live with "her mother's people," a middle-aged couple she has never met. Slowly, in the care of this loving couple, Cáit blossoms and discovers a completely new way of living. In her new home, where genuine affection and kindness flourish, and where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one. 2023 Oscar Nominee for Best International Feature Film.

Discussion Leader: Jorene Taylor Swift, Celebration Community Church

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Thelma (2024)

1 hr 38 minutes
Director: Josh Margolin
Stars: June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree
Rated PG-13 for language
Comedy - Drama

Thelma Post, a 93-year-old woman living alone, is scammed by a caller who pretends to be her grandson and steals $10,000 from her. In spite of the concerns from her family, Thelma goes on a quest to get her money back. She gets help from her reluctant friend Ben to find and confront her swindlers. She refuses to let the infirmities of age stop her from seeking justice. Thelma is funny, charming, and has great comedic timing. The film is uplifting for all ages.

Discussion Leader: Rev. Russ Peterman, University Christian Church

Saturday Afternoon Movies:

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Made in Dagenham (2010)

In 1968, the Ford auto factory in Dagenham was one of the largest single private employers in the United Kingdom. In addition to the thousands of male employees, there are also 187 underpaid women workers who primarily assemble the car upholstery. Dissatisfied with their working conditions, the women, work with union representatives for a better deal. What follows tests the patience of all involved in a  struggle that advances the cause of women's rights around the world.

Discussion Leader: Cyndy Twedell, University Christian Church

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Muscle Schoals (2013)

1 hr 51 minutes
Director: Greg 'Freddy' Camalier
Stars: Rick Hall, Aretha Franklin, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, Gregg        Allman
Rated PG for thematic elements, language, smoking, and brief partial nudity
Documentary - Music History

Located on the banks of the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, Alabama is the unexpected well-spring of some of America's most creative and memorable music. The music of Muscle Shoals sold millions of hit records. At its heart is Rick Hall who founded FAME Studios. He brought Black and white musicians together in Alabama to create music, giving birth to the 'Muscle Shoals Sound'. Iconic musicians bear witness to Muscle Shoals' magnetism, mystery, and why it remains influential today.

Discussion Leader: Alan Bean, Broadway Baptist Church

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM: One Life (2023)

1 hr 49 minutes
Director: James Hawes
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Nick Drake, Barbara Winton
Rated PG for thematic material, some language, smoking
Drama - History

The true story of Sir Nicholas 'Nicky' Winton, a young London broker who, during the months leading up to World War II, devised a plan to rescue Jewish children in Prague whose families had fled the rise of the Nazis in Germany and Austria. It was a race against time. How many children could he and his hastily-organized team rescue before the borders closed? Fifty years later, it's 1988; and Nicky, living in England, is still haunted by the fate of the children he couldn’t save..

Discussion Leader: Roy Gover, University Christian Church

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Origin (2023)

2 hrs 21 minutes
Director: Ava DuVernay
Stars: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash
Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving racism, violence, disturbing images, smoking, and strong language
Drama - History

This thought-provoking film presents the story of author Isabel Wilkerson's experience as she writes her ground-breaking book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, published in 2020. Wilkerson deals with personal loss while researching and weaving together threads of racism that underlie seemingly unconnected historical events such as American slavery and Jim Crow, the Holocaust, and India's caste system. It confronts uncomfortable evidence of humanity's capacity for injustice and cruelty.

Discussion Leader: Rev. Ryon Price, Broadway Baptist Church

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Perfect Days (2023)

2 hrs 4 minutes
Director: Wim Wenders
Stars: Kôji Yakusho, Tokio Emoto, Arisa Nakano
Rated PG for some language, smoking, partial nudity
Drama Foreign language (Japanese) with subtitles

This quiet Japanese film conveys a message: "In a world of fleeting moments, find the beauty that lasts." The main character, Hirayama, works as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. He seems content with his simple life, and dedicates his free time to his passion for music, books, and landscape photography.  More of his past and his missed opportunities are gradually revealed through a series of subtle developments.

Discussion Leader: Lauren Ivy-Chiong, University Christian Church

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Short Films 2025

The Red Suitcase (2022)
18 minutes

Director: Cyrus Neshvad
Stars: Nawelle Evad, Sarkaw Gorany, Anne Klein
Unrated
Drama

Sad-eyed Ariane, a young teen in a hijab, arrives at the Luxembourg Airport. She is fearful of claiming her red suitcase; and ominous uncertainty ratchets up the tension.

The Invention  (2018)
19 minutes

Director: Leo McGuigan
Stars: Luke Walford, Luke Kelly
Unrated
Drama - Based on a true story

In 1968 Belfast a brave boy has to resort to questionable lengths to protect his family.

Wild Summon  (2023)
15 minutes

Directors: Karni Arieli, Saul Freed
Stars: Marianne Faithfull
Unrated
Animated Docu-drama

A fascinating, skillfully animated natural history fantasy film following the dramatic life cycle of the wild salmon, but in human form.

Ripple  (2014)
5 minutes 46 seconds

Director: Daniel Yam
Stars: Michael Lee, Kaeden Choo, Daniel Chen
Unrated
Drama

A heartwarming short film about what goes around comes around; and how kindness and good deeds can follow you in a ripple effect.

Discussion Leader for Short Films: Larry Ivy, University Christian Church

Saturday Lunch:

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: REEL Religion Lunch: Roast Beef & Cheddar
Fee: $15.00

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: REEL Religion Lunch: Tomato and Mozzarella
Fee: $15.00

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: REEL Religion Lunch: Turkey & Havarti
Fee: $15.00

Dates: January 31, 2025 - February 1, 2025

Location:

University Christian Church,
2720 South University Drive,
Fort Worth, TX 76109.

Fee: $5 reservation fee covers all three screening times.

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