There have been many cinematic attempts over the years to portray the life of Jesus Christ in such a manner that would both entertain audiences and hopefully evangelize at the same time. Fortunately, many have succeeded, but others have fallen flat.
With painstakingly good intentions, many productions of “the greatest story ever told” have tried to do too much, grasping to highlight every nuance of Jesus’ life but losing its clarity of purpose along the way.
John Schafer and Brennan McPherson believe their new animated movie about the life of Jesus is the film families have been waiting for. It is something you can watch together, knowing it will clearly portray the life of Jesus. “Light of the World,” which opens in theaters this weekend, is set to deliver the time-tested, universal truths of the Gospel message through the medium of classic animation.
“I really feel strongly it’s a story about how we’re introducing Jesus to a whole new generation of people around the world,” says Schafer, who co-directed the movie with Disney animation veteran Tom Bancroft. “I think when people come see this in the theaters, they are going to experience a children’s storybook about the life of Jesus that comes to life. And so those who are familiar with the story, they’re going to see it in a way they have never seen before.”
Set in 30 AD and told from the perspective of John the Apostle as a teenager, this throwback 2D animated feature will explore Jesus’ ministry from the beginning through His crucifixion and resurrection. While the techniques may vary from today’s computer-generated visuals, “Light of the World” tells a timeless story designed to inspire and transform lives.
“This is like if Disney from the 1990s made a 2D animated film classic, but it’s about Jesus and it rocks,” explains McPherson, who also serves as president of The Salvation Poem Project, the studio that made “Light of the World.” “It’s fun for the whole family. It’s funny. It has humor that is appropriate, but it tells the truth about the Gospel in a way that is accessible and non-threatening.”
Schafer and McPherson join us on the Crossmap Podcast to chat about the inherent challenges in making a 2D animated film versus today’s dazzling computer animation, what sets this movie apart from all the other films made about the life of Jesus, and how Light of the World fulfills a lifelong dream for both of them.
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