‘The Calling’ — PBS Documentary on Divinity Students

Posted on December 15, 2010 at 9:00 am

“The Calling,” a two-part documentary series premiering on the PBS Independent Lens series on December 20, is the inspiring story of a group of seven young people of different religions who share the experience of being called to serve as clergy. We follow Christian, Jewish, Catholic, and Muslim Americans through their studies, their struggles, and their triumphs as they work to better understand and practice their faiths, to grow closer to God, and to support their communities. We see their differences and we see their bigger similarities, their shared sincerity of purpose and generosity of spirit. This is a hugely important program and a powerful reminder that at the core of the holidays we celebrate at this time of year is a need to connect to the divine and to each other.

Watch the full episode. See more Independent Lens.

Embarking on life paths that demand tremendous personal sacrifice and commitment, these seminarians must uphold timeless truths in an era that values quick fixes and hot trends, and face a public that challenges the very relevance of their mission. A new look at an old job, The Calling takes viewers into the unknown world of seminaries to tell entertaining and compelling personal stories of how faith is lived in today.

As this new generation of religious leaders prepares to take its place in our society, our characters’ unfolding stories explore some of the current issues facing America’s religious communities. Islam strives to establish its American identity. The Catholic Church responds to sexual abuse scandals and to the profound demographic shift to a Spanish-speaking majority. African American churches adapt to women taking more active leadership roles.

The United States is one of the most religiously observant and spiritually diverse countries in the world, yet mainstream media has underplayed the significance of faith in our lives, and our pluralism has been addressed almost exclusively in terms of race and culture. Most explorations of faith often focus on single faiths, church scandals, fundamentalist extremists, or religion’s polarizing effect on society. The Calling underscores our spiritual common ground and offers intimate portraits for a nuanced examination of faith in America.

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Interview: Fionnula Flanagan of ‘Three Wise Women’

Posted on December 14, 2010 at 3:54 pm

The Hallmark Channel’s Three Wise Women stars the great Irish actress Fionnula Flanagan in the story of a doctor named Liz who is about to make a terrible mistake. Her guardian angel has to bring in some very important advisers — Liz herself as a young girl and an older woman — to show her the way.

Ms. Flanagan, who also appeared in “Waking Ned Divine” and “Yes Man,” talked with me about making this film — and about her own favorite Christmas tradition.

How did you coordinate with the other actresses who played your character?

One of us doesn’t know that the other two of us are her, older and younger, so therein lies the comedy. We imitated each other, but people change as they grow older and one of them is very young, like 17 years of age and I’m in her 60’s, so people change and their gestures change as they grow older. We didn’t sit down and say, “Let’s coordinate all of this.” But some things came naturally and we all imitated each other.

What was your first major part as an actor?

I did a role in a play in Gaelic for the Dublin Theatre Festival in 1963-64 and was then hired to play it in television in Irish, and that was my first break. I went on to play it in English and then went to the Old Vic where I played leads in “Taming of the Shrew” and “The Playboy of the Western World.”

What do you look for in the parts you take?

I always look to see if the part moves the story along. If it doesn’t do that, it’s just window dressing. In this particular instance it is very much an ensemble piece, with three actresses playing the same person, with the comedy built in because she doesn’t know she is seeing herself much younger and much older. That obviously moves the story along. Do we turn out in later life the way we think we will? The answer is “almost never.” If you, Nell, were to meet yourself at 90, wouldn’t you think you’d be different? We always have fantasies about how we’re going to be; we’d be horrified to see ourselves in the future and say, “Look at all those wrinkles! I wish I’d given up smoking!” This story provided that with all the comedy that lies therein.

Why do the Hallmark channel movies touch people so much?

They make films about things that people care about, things that happen in ordinary people’s lives, not cops and robbers and fantastical stories. Not everyone is wearing a Prada suit. These are backwoods stories that happen out of sight to people who are not always wealthy and powerful. People identify with that. It’s pleasurable because if you treat people well and behave kindly and honor your citizenship, good things will happen.

What is your favorite holiday movie?

I don’t have one but every Christmas I listen to Dylan Thomas’ wonderful recitation of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales.” Many people have read it, but I have the recording of him reading it himself and it is so charming and funny. It’s about ordinary people in a mining town in Wales and I love it for that reason. The child saying, “Get to the presents! Get to the presents!”

Three Wise Women

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Actors Interview Television

‘A Walk in My Shoes’ — Family Movie Night on NBC

Posted on December 1, 2010 at 8:00 am

One of my favorite actresses, Nancy Travis, stars in “A Walk in My Shoes,” part of NBC’s terrific Family Movie Night series. In this very touching story a stressed out teacher has a student suspended from the team for poor performance in class. She thinks it is the fault of a neglectful mother. But when she finds herself living his mother’s life, she sees things very differently. This is an important story about the importance of understanding and compassion, sure to inspire some meaningful family conversations.

A Walk in My Shoes

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Television

The Peter Yarrow Sing-Along Special

Posted on November 27, 2010 at 8:15 am

Yes, it sounds a little bit like “A Mighty Wind,” but this is the real deal, a PBS concert sing-along with Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary, joined by Noel Paul Stookey, Keb’ Mo’, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Billy Jonas, and Bethany & Rufus, taped in August in the Concert Hall of New York. It’s a perfect holiday weekend treat for the whole family to join on classic songs like “Polly Wolly Doodle” and “Blowin’ in the Wind” and some less familiar like “Weave Me the Sunshine.”