It’s not what you believe, it’s what you do that matters.
TRAILER
PRESS
“Eye-opening”
- Ben Kenigsberg, The New York Times
“This documentary has the potential to move hearts and minds”
- Kimber Myers, Los Angeles Times
“Offers a ray of hope”
- John Anderson, America Magazine
“A friendly conversation-starter”
- John DeFore, The Hollywood Reporter
“A fascinating history lesson”
- Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“Compelling”
- Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
“Uplifting and entertaining”
- Roger Moore, Movie Nation
"...it speaks to what it means to find common ground, to live with our differences."
- Tyler Hammel, The Daily Progress
"American Heretics reminds us it is not what you believe, it’s what you do that matters."
-Paul Asay, Docsology
ABOUT THE FILM
“We’ve entered a time where the power of negative partisanship has sorted us along lines of race and religion. So if you look at Republicans, they’re about seven in ten white and Christian. Democrats are only three in ten, white and Christian. And what it means is that two parties have exploited race and religion, two of the most visceral things you can think of in terms of the human experience, and they’ve locked them in partisan identities."
– Robert P. Jones, CEO Public Religion Research Institute
Author of “The End of White Christian America”
CHARACTERS
At what other point in our history has the line between church and state become so tangled and polarizing?
We’ve entered a time where the power of negative partisanship has sorted us along lines of race and religion. And what that means, according to Dr. Robert Jones, head of the Public Religion Research Institute “is that the two parties have exploited race and religion, two of the most visceral things you can think of in terms of the human experience, and they’ve locked them in partisan identities.”
American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel takes audiences into the buckle of Bible belt where a group of defiant ministers, congregations, and community leaders are challenging deeply rooted fundamentalist Christian doctrine in favor of a Gospel of Inclusion. Labeled as “heretics” for their beliefs and actions, they refuse to wield their faith as a sword sharpened by literal interpretations of the Bible. Especially those fundamentalist Christian interpretations that continue to justify nationalism and hack away at landmark civil rights protections for women, minorities, immigrants, and the LGBTQ communities.
This poignant story challenges what we think we know about the Christian heartland by offering a rare personal glimpse into the contentious and often misunderstood history of religion, race, and politics in America. These Heretics are still interested in saving you from hell, but’s the earthly one, where poverty, discrimination and nationalism oppresses “…those who are the least among us.”
Directed and Produced by Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Jeanine and Catherine Butler (www.butlerfilms.tv). Edited by award-winning editor Jamie Lee Godfrey (National Geographic, Newseum); and lensed by Peter Hutchens (Showtime’s “The Trade,” and Oprah Winfrey’s “Belief” series).
Watch the Zoom Q&A featuring the cast of American Heretics following the Facebook Live Screening Event on April 25, 2020.
PRODUCTION TEAM
Jeanine Butler
DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER
Jeanine is an award-winning director, producer, and writer. Specializing in documentaries and non-fiction entertainment, her work has been broadcast across multiple platforms, screened at museums, film festivals worldwide, and garnered numerous awards, including three National Emmy nominations for Documenting the Face of America (PBS), The Science of HIV/AIDS (The Discovery Channel), and Africa (BBC/Discovery Channel). Butler has produced, written, and directed long-form documentaries for Explorer, the premier documentary series for National Geographic, and crafted strategic storytelling for nonprofits and international NGOs. She continues her relationship with National Geographic as an ongoing freelance Executive Producer. Her latest independent films produced by her company Butlerfilms, LLC co-founded with producing partner and sister Catherine, include the short God$Green God $ Green: An Unholy Alliance - UVA Religion Lab and the feature-length doc, American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel. American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel,, which was theatrically released in 2019 to critical acclaim, including The New York Times, Rotten Tomatoes, The Hollywood Reporter, The Daily Beast, The L.A. Times.
Catherine Lynn Butler
PRODUCER
Catherine Lynn Butler is an award-winning documentary writer/producer with global experience developing and delivering impactful long and short form documentaries for television, museums, educational nonprofits and NGOs. Catherine’s work has been awarded two Emmy’s, including Journey of the Universe (PBS); Women of Tibet (PBS); and a National Emmy nomination for Documenting the Face of America (PBS).
She also produced the critically acclaimed feature-length investigative documentary The Future of Food, which enjoyed global theatrical and digital distribution.
Her latest independent films produced by her company Butlerfilms, LLC, co-founded with producing partner and sister Jeanine, include the critically-acclaimed feature documentary, American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel, released theatrically nationwide in 2019, and soon-to-be available for streaming on February 9th; and God$Green: An Unholy Alliance (2020) a documentary short about the historical roots of climate change and science denialism in America.
Peter Hutchens
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Peter Hutchens is an award-winning cinematographer whose clients include HBO, Showtime, PBS, and National Geographic. In 2011, he won the Sundance Cinematography Award for his work on the feature documentary The Redemption of General Butt Naked. Peter was a principal DP for Oprah Winfrey’s international series Belief, and most recently served as Director of Photography on Showtime’s critically acclaimed series The Trade, which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
Jamie Lee Godfrey
EDITOR & MOTION DESIGNER
New York-based Jamie Godfrey is an Emmy-nominated editor and motion designer. She has worked on short- and long-form documentaries, infographic animations, and large-format video installations for companies such as National Geographic, The Newseum, The Smithsonian, Great Big Story, and The World Bank. Her work has been recognized with Telly, New York Festivals, and Cine Golden Eagle awards.
Her large-format video includes creating two multi-screen video installations for the National Geographic museum and two large-scale seamless video installations (12x1 and 18x1) for the Newseum in Washington, DC and John Kerry’s 2016 ocean initiative.
Tara Farrell Conlan
ARCHIVAL RESEARCHER / RIGHTS & CLEARANCES SUPERVISOR
Tara Farrell has over fifteen years experience as a, visual researcher, photo editor and clearance supervisor for editorial and commercial clients such as Sony Television, Showtime, People Magazine,Vanity Fair, NBC, New York Times, National Geographic and CNN. A former Associated Press photographer with 10 years of international experience, she worked together with Seamus Conlan photographing more than 21,000 lost children to help reunite them with their parents after the Rwandan genocide in 1994. For the unique compilation image of 21,000 children they were given the Art Directors Club award and ‘The Lost Children of Rwanda’ was named one of the “100 images that changed the world” by Life magazine.
Drew Takahashi
ANIMATION ARTIST
Drew Takahashi is presently the Emperor of Funjacket Enterprises where he designs and directs. Previously he was co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of (Colossal) Pictures. Using any and all techniques in film and video, he directed or creative directedbroadcast identities (MTV, Showtime, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network andNickelodeon), commercials (Coca-Cola, Intel, Nike, Honda and Levi’s) music videos (Bobby McFerrin, Prince, Joe Cocker, Kronos Quartet), and interfaces(Apple, Americast, Nuvana, Microsoft).At Funjacket Enterprises Drew has continued to design and direct over an even more diverse range of opportunities now including naming and identities (LaikaEntertainment, House Special, Nuvana), corporate communications (Apple, Intel,Mozilla, Inkling, Corning/Mythbusters), transformative games (CPB, NikeFoundation, Stanford D School, Alameda Probation Department) and animated portions of documentaries (National Geographic, NRDC, Sea Studios, ActualPictures, Room 608).
DVDs Available to Order on Amazon - Streaming Release beginning February 9th, 2021
* Be sure to join our Mailing List below for the latest updates on latest Streaming Platforms coming online, including iTunes, Kanopy, Fandango, Google TV & others…
PAST SCREENINGS
TRONDHEIM, NORWAY - August 1st
Olavsfest 2020
ALEXANDRIA, VA - Date Tbd DUE TO COVID-19
Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church
ROCKVILLE, MD- Date Tbd DUE TO COVID-19
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville
[For More Info]
MIAMI GARDENS, FL- Date Tbd DUE TO COVID-19
Johnnie Colemon Theological Seminary
[For More Info]
BATON ROUGE, LA - Date Tbd DUE TO COVID-19
Main Library, Presented by the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge
[For More Info]
SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH - Date Tbd DUE TO COVID-19
Plymouth UCC Church
[For More Info]
BERKELEY, CA - Date Tbd DUE TO COVID-19
Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley
[For More Info]
MUNCIE, IN - Date Tbd DUE TO COVID-19
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Muncie
[For More Info]
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Date Tbd TO COVID-19
UVA’s Religion, Race & Democracy Lab
[For More Info]
WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 20
Religious Communicators Congress, 2020 Wilbur Award-Winner
[For More Info]
DAYTON, OH - March 15
RISE UP 2020 Festival at the NEON Theater, presented by Harmony Creek Church
[For More Info]
DENVER, CO - March 13
Social Justice Film Series, First Universalist Church of Denver
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BELLINGHAM, WA - February 15
Pickford Film Center
Q&A w/ special guest, Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers
HOT SPRINGS, AR - February 15
Unitarian Universalist Village Church
[For More Info]
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - February 18
Westminster Presbyterian Church & the Wesley Foundation at UVA
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TACOMA, WA - February 4
University of Puget Sound
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NEW ORLEANS, LA - Jan 18
New Orleans Secular Humanist Association
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WASHINGTON, DC - Jan 7
Washington National Cathedral
AUGUSTA, GA - Jan 14
Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta
[For More Info]
TULSA, OK - Jan 15
All Souls Unitarian Church
Q&A w/ special guests, Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Carlton Pearson, Brandon Scott, Nicole Ogundare, Nehemiah Frank
[Tickets On Sale]
SPARTANBURG, NC - Dec 14
Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg
GROVE, OK - Nov 21
First United Community
MISHAWAKA, IN - Nov 21
The Humanist Forum
[For More Info]
SAN DIEGO, CA - Nov 24
First Unitarian Universalist Church
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FORT COLLINS, CO - Nov 18
Plymouth Congregational UCC
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OWENSBORO, KY - Nov 15
The Open Door Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
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SAHUARITA, AZ - Nov 15
The Good Shepherd United Church of Christ
[For More Info]
WINSTON-SALEM, NC - Nov 9
a/perture cinema
[Tickets On Sale]
HOUSTON, TX - Nov 3 & Nov 10
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
[For More Info]
PLATTSBURGH, NY - Nov 3
Plattsburgh United Methodist Church
SKYPE Q&A with Filmmakers
[For More Info]
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Oct 28
Oklahoma City University
Q&A with subjects, Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers, Rev. Lori Walke, and Rep. Collin Walke
[Tickets On Sale]
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Oct 27
Virginia Film Festival
Presented by The Religion, Race and Democracy Lab at UVA. Q&A with filmmakers after screening.
[Tickets On Sale]
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Oct 26
Mayflower Congregational Church
[For More Info]
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - Oct 25
First Unity Spiritual Campus
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CHICAGO, IL - Sep 6, 8, 14, 21, 30
Gene Siskel Film Center
[Tickets On Sale]
OREM, UT - Oct 2
Reflection Center at Utah Valley University
[Tickets On Sale]
TULSA, OK — July 19 - Aug 15
Circle Cinema
[Tickets On Sale]
NORFOLK, VA - Aug 14
Naro Expanded Cinema
[Tickets On Sale]
NEW YORK, NY — July 12-18
Village East Cinema
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — July 12-18
Celebration! Cinema Woodland Mall
TULSA, OK — July 14
Circle Cinema
SCHENECTADY, NY — July 20
Proctors Theatre
HOUSTON, TX — July 28
14 Pews
COLUMBUS, OH — July 31
Gateway Film Center
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — July 19 - Aug 8
Rodeo Cinema
CAMAS, WA — Aug 2-8
HUDSON, NY — Aug 3 - Aug 25 (10 dates)
Time & Space Limited
Liberty Theatre
PASADENA, CA — Aug 7
Laemmle Playhouse 7
SANTA MONICA, CA — Aug 7
Laemmle Monica Film Center
HOUSTON, TX — Aug 8 & Aug 22
14 Pews
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Aug 9 - Sep 5 (select dates)
Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA)
SEBASTOPOL, CA - Sep 3
Rialto Cinemas Sebastopol
CLEVELAND, OH - Sep 3
Capitol Theatre
JOPLIN, MO - Aug 30, Sep 4-5
Bookhouse Cinema
BERKELEY, CA - Sep 4
Rialto Cinemas Elmwood
CORDOVA, TN - Sep 4
Malco Cordova Town Cinema
WASHINGTON DC - Sep 6
Newseum - Knight Conference Center
NORMAN, OK - Sep 12
University of Oklahoma
Department of Religious Studies
DENVER, CO - Sep 15
Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake
TACOMA, WA - Sep 17
The Grand Cinema
NASHVILLE, TN - Sep 19
Belcourt Theatre
SEATTLE, WA - Sep 23
SIFF Cinema Uptown
LUBBOCK, TX - Sep 24
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Oct 21
St. Anthony Main Theatre
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
“It was so fantastic I was so encouraged by the stories of the people there. I highly highly encourage a viewing of American Heretics…. I’m hoping it will be streaming pretty soon, so everyone can see it. I loved it!”- Sarah Stewart Holland, Pantsuit Politics
“Every American needs to see this film to understand (and hopefully avoid) the extreme hypocrisy that has hijacked the religious right in this country.”-Greg
“The story of combining reason and faith and putting them into action for social justice.”-Kate
“Incredible movie about politics of inclusion, and doing what is right.”-Kevin
“I am so grateful that you made this film! I've seen it twice, even though, as my UCC pastor sister says, I'm "not a church-y person." I live in the middle of Michigan's Dutch Bible belt & the approach to activism as an expression of faith illustrated in this film couldn't be more welcome. I'm sharing the link everywhere!”-Marianna
“I researched Evangelism extensively for a novel I've written, but found a wealth of new information in this movie. A movie for our times that shouldn't be missed by anyone concerned about the direction our country is taking.”-Jeff
“Very important film for these times.”-Lisa
CONTACT
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