The Arts & Faith website has sponsored a jury every year since 2014 to recommend films to Christian audiences. The reasons a critic might think a film is particularly suited for a faith audience are varied, so be sure to check out the juror’s statements by clicking the appropriate link(s) below.
- Juror #2
- Conclave
- Flow
- Perfect Days
- Wildcat
- Rebel Ridge
- The Bikeriders
- Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
- Dune: Part Two
- The Wild Robot
Members of the 2024 Arts & Faith Ecumenical Jury: Kenneth R. Morefield; Aren Bergstrom; Andrew Eisenman; Douglas C. McLeod, Jr.; Christian Jessup; Evalyn Cogswell; Gareth Higginson; Noel T. Manning, II; Thomas Manning; Prisca Bird; Lindsey Dunn; Peter T. Chattaway; Tynan Yanaga; Anand Venigalla. Brian Duignan.
Juror’s Honorable Mentions
Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara — An undoubtedly painful watch for viewers of any religion, Kidnapped (Rapito), is a particularly bracing portrayal of man’s ability to rationalize almost anything once he becomes convinced his is the one true religion. A Jewish boy is taken from his home by the Catholic Church because of reports that he was secretly baptized, even though they won’t tell the family when, where, or by whom the baptism took place. The sociopolitical commentary is ever present, but it never overshadows the primal human pain of losing a child, a pain that is not limited to people of any religion. — Kenneth R. Morefield
The Book of Clarence — While an admittedly unconventional take on the gospel story, The Book of Clarence offers a profound meditation on knowledge and faith. Writer and director Jeymes Samuel emphasizes the innate human longing for identity and understanding, centering the film on Clarence, twin of “doubting Thomas” the apostle. Clarence mirrors his biblical brother’s skeptical traits but rejects faith entirely, preferring instead to seek knowledge and “enlightenment.” But as his attention-seeking schemes get him in more and more trouble, he’s confronted with the truth he’s been running from: perhaps real enlightenment can be found in the redemptive power of belief. — Christian Jessup, A Cloudy Picture
No Other Land / Seed of the Sacred Fig — Andrew Eisenman
Green Border — What does it mean to show love and compassion for the refugee who has had to leave home and country in order to seek safe haven in a faraway land? Several very good movies this year (e.g., Cabrini and The Old Oak) have thought deeply about this question. None, however, has done that so thoroughly and with such immediacy as Agnieszka Holland’s Green Border. The film soberly looks at an ongoing crisis on the border between Poland and Belarus. As it looks at the events from varied angles and viewpoints, this film seems to invite us to see something of what God sees in what looks like an irredeemable mess. It evokes His heart for refugees at the same time as it evokes His heart to touch the thoughtless oppressors who would trample them underfoot. — Brian Duignan (Screenattention.com)
All We Imagine as Light — Payal Kapadia’s drama about two nurses working in Mumbai, while one pursues an interfaith relationship and the other receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband, is one of the most beautifully shot films of 2024. Kapadia’s camera captures all the small moments of joy that spring up unexpected in life, even in the places and situations we least expect. Her love for all the characters is a delight to watch, and her embrace of the world and creation as good makes All We Imagine as Light a work of art that shines a light on joy in all the places it can be found. — Evalyn Cogswell (Catholic Cinephile)
A Complete Unknown — Noel T. Manning II
Listen to jurors Noel T. Manning II and Kenneth R. Morefield discuss this year’s winners: