First published 2024
Kathleen Norris teams up with Irish storyteller Gareth Higgins to examine how cinema illuminates the human experience from birth to death. The authors select twelve acclaimed films as windows into life's essential questions. Their choices include Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, Spike Lee's Malcolm X, and Gabriel Axel's Babette's Feast. Each movie becomes a starting point for exploring themes like identity, purpose, generosity, and what makes us human. The book structures itself around the human life cycle, moving through stages of existence while examining goodness, belonging, success, and conflict. Norris and Gareth design their discussions for both individual reflection and group conversation. They include additional film recommendations and discussion questions tailored for churches, book clubs, and small groups. The book offers a year-long journey through cinema and spirituality, appealing to believers and seekers across different faith traditions. James Martin provides the foreword for this exploration of how movies can deepen our understanding of ourselves and guide us toward more meaningful lives.
Genres: art, literary-fiction, christian, religion, non-fiction, biography-memoir, film, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, spiritual-journey
Period: 21st-Century
173 pages · Hardcover · Baker Pub Group