True/False film festival includes religious documentary

Columbia has been buzzing these past few days. The reason for that is the 5th Annual True/False Film Festival. All in all, thirty nine films will be presented. These films cover a wide variety of topics. However, there was one with a religious emphasis. That film was Shake the Devil Off. MU's Center on the Religion & the Professions helped sponsor the showing of this documentary about the story of St. Augustine Parish in New Orleans.

However, this turned out to be more than just a presentation of the film. Before the documentary started, there was a concert by New Orleans Jazz Musician Glen David Andrews. Andrews was featured at numerous points throughout the documentary, as he is a parishioner himself.  It was clear that there was something special when the entire crowd was on their feet before the “Play” button had been touched. The atmosphere was truly festive. Andrews also preformed after the documentary, carrying the concert and crowd out into the lobby.

Then the actual documentary started and it provided an in depth look into the controversy that was St. Augustine Parish during the spring of 2006. Dedicated in 1842, St. Augustine is the oldest African-American Catholic Church in the United States. Early in 2006, the Archdiocese of New Orleans attempted to shut down the parish. The parishioners fought hard to keep their Parish open. A group of students even locked themselves into the rectory. The students and other adult parishioners also protested outside the parish. Eventually, Archbishop Alfred Clifton Hughes allowed for the Parish to be reinstated. He gave the church a timeline in order for them to accomplish certain goals. These goals included an increase in parishioners and funding to the Archdiocese.

Shake the Devil Off was directed by Peter Entell. Entell was present at the True/False Film Festival. After the documentary was over. Entell opened up the floor for a Question & Answer session. Entell was in Europe when he was contacted by a friend who told him the story of St. Augustine Parish. He then immediately flew to New Orleans and filmed the documentary as the events unfolded.

In a later interview, Entell said he it is “very inspirational” to see the success of Shake the Devil Off.The documentary is gaining popularity and will be appearing in film festivals all over the world in the coming months. The next big festival in the United States will be the Nashville Film Festival. Glen David Andrews will also be traveling to Nashville as he did to Columbia. The film is also scheduled to appear in film festivals in South Africa, Vancouver and Greece. Additionally, the documentary is now available on DVD.

Entell said the main attraction for viewers is that “they are very touched, connected, and moved by the story.” The film appealed to quite the wide variety of emotions. There were moments that made a viewer smile, and yet at other times might feel terribly saddened by the images of Hurricane Katrina and its devastation.

This weekend Shake the Devil Off brought its message to the people of Columbia, Missouri and the True/False Film Festival. As it travels the globe it will only continue to touch the lives of more individuals and gain in popularity.

Click here to see the trailer for Shake the Devil Off