charlesdomokos

A poignant, heartfelt look at the role of historical Christian communities in modern Turkey in spectacular hinterlands that were once the cradle of Christian apostles as well as the site of historical Greek colonies and temples.

An odyssey by filmmaker and director Georges N. Chamchoum and a community of California-based contemporary Christian evangelists and worshipers, many of whom are of Korean-American descent, who step into the difficult shoes of the early Christians to profess their faith as they trace the journeys of the apostles and through their pilgrimage, strengthen their faith and join the pageant of historical Christianity.

The film uses fluid documentary camera techniques to bring the viewer into the circle of the passionate believers and race the viewer's pulse with the community of love and brotherhood that is the film's testament.

The film also documents the difficulties of contemporary Christian communities in a secular Turkey that increasingly tilts to the Muslim world and marginalizes Christianity into museum-like beleaguered status, isolating former Christian cathedrals such as Santa Sophia in Istanbul from all religious significance.

A powerful testament and beautiful film.

An excellent story, well acted and directed, leading to an uplifting ending after an odyssey through a series of humorous scenes where the main handyman character Jimmy seeks the meaning (or meaningfulness) of his life, after vowing suicide. Despite its tiny budget and limited production values, this film brings about the same emotional catharsis as films like HAROLD & MAUDE and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. It's funny, sad, involving, and memorable and takes the arena of minor Hollywood wanna-be's and has-been's and drifters and immigrants, and mixes them into a series of encounters that convinces Jimmy, that ...but I don't want to give the ending away. Your holidays will be happier after seeing this film.