The story of Jesus from the New Testament has been told and retold on the big screen for more than a century. But none of those films are as unique as “Forty-Seven Days with Jesus.”
From the way the film intermixes a modern story with flashbacks of Jesus’ life, to featuring an incredible original soundtrack, there are so many elements that make this film special.
In fact, here are five reasons you should definitely watch “Forty-Seven Days with Jesus” on Great American Pure Flix beginning October 10.
“Forty-Seven Days with Jesus” tells the story of married couple Joseph and Juliana Burdon who are going through a rough patch due to Joseph’s workaholic tendencies. When the Burdon's and their two kids take a trip to visit Joseph’s mom and ailing father, Poppa Burdon takes the opportunity to read his grandchildren a book he wrote titled, “Forty-Seven Days with Jesus,” which brings to life (sometimes in musical form!) some key Bible stories and invaluable lessons that the whole family needs to hear.
"With everything happening in the world right now, there is a deep hunger for positive messages, messages that uplift and unite, rather than divide,” said actor Yoshi Barrigas, who plays Joseph. “And I really believe that ‘Forty-Seven Days with Jesus’ falls into that category. Our film is a reminder to slow down and look around, remembering what’s important and remembering how to forgive.”
Musicals may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but when you’re dealing with “Oscar-worthy” original songs, you make an exception.
“The beautiful part about how they’ve chosen to tell the Gospel story is that you’re getting these 2,000-year-old flashbacks and there’s a musical aspect to it so there’s song and there’s a songbook that’s originally written for this film and our songwriters and producers have won Grammys for their work before, so they’re very talented,” said Catherine Lidstone, who plays Juliana. “And the way they tell this story and the singers they’ve got on board to tell it are just so, so beautiful to watch.”
The Bible is the best-selling book of all time. It has been read and re-read over thousands of years and has transformed countless lives. Because of that, biblical accuracy is pretty important when it comes to faith films, and “Forty-Seven Days with Jesus” clearly put a lot of effort into getting it right.
“That was a priority for us throughout the entire process,” producer Kristen Brancaccio said in an interview earlier this year. “We brought on a biblical and historical expert and a scholar who specializes in the New Testament who gave us incredible feedback on everything, from, ‘This time of day is actually incorrect; we know from this translation that it actually happened at this time of day,' and we would go change the schedule. We really tried to remain as accurate as we could.”
While there have been a handful of movies in recent years that tell the story of Jesus’ final days, “Forty-Seven Days with Jesus” stands out because it upholds biblical accuracy without being graphic. In this way, the movie is truly family friendly.
“It’s such a beautiful family film,” Lidstone said. “You’re able to see the story [of Jesus’ last days] in a way that’s accessible to all ages. We just got approved for all ages, so even in some episodes of “The Chosen” that I’ve been privileged to be on, I would hesitate to bring, you know, my niece and nephew to see it. But for this film, I think anyone in the family can go and see it.”
The power of the Gospel message has always rested in its potential to change lives, and “Forty-Seven Days with Jesus” captures this beautifully. In fact, one of the crew members from the film felt so convicted by Joseph’s story that he decided to make some changes in his own life.
“He said, ‘I'm not religious … but your movie really impacted me. I saw myself in your main character. I think his story is my story,’” Brancaccio revealed. “The fact that someone who isn't coming from a background of faith felt really convicted by our movie — that's what I hope can happen for anyone who watches this movie.”
If you’re not yet convinced, know that if you’re a fan of “The Chosen,” there’s a good chance you’ll like “Forty-Seven Days with Jesus!” Not only does Yoshi Barrigas play Phillip on the show, but as previously mentioned, Lidstone is also a veteran of “The Chosen,” playing Lazarus’ sister Mary.
You might also recongize Pontius Pilate, who is played by fan favorite, Cameron Arnett, who is also in "Eleanor's Bench," "Vindication," and "Running the Bases," amongst other titles that you can find right here on Pure Flix.
Mark your calendar and be sure to stream “Forty-Seven Days with Jesus” on Great American Pure Flix starting October 10! Not a member? Sign up for your free 7-day trial today.