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The cultural traditions in organized religion often have a positive affect on followers who faithfully attend their congregation’s services. But the upcoming satirical comedy, Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul., offers a powerfully different outlook into how religious institution can at times leave a lasting negative impact on its followers.
Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. marks the feature film writing and directorial debuts of Adamma Ebo, after she scribed and helmed the 2018 short of the same name. The filmmaker also served as a producer with her sister, Adanne Ebo, who are collectively known as The Ebo Sisters, on the project. Adamma based the script on some of their experiences growing up in the Southern Baptist.
The writer-director has publicly shared that abuse of power within her family’s church was a common occurrence. She also revealed but the general response, particularly from members of the church, was to forgive those abuses and move on.
The new movie serves to question what happens to leaders if they can no longer influence their congregants to continue following them after the moral atrocities they committed have been revealed.
Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. was executive produced in part by Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions. Daniel Kaluuya also produced the comedy through his production company, 59%.
The film stars lead actress and actor Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown, who also served as producers on the feature. Nicole Beharie, Conphidance, Austin Crute, Devere Rogers and Avis Marie Barnes also star in the movie in supporting roles.
The Ebo Sisters and Beharie generously took the time recently to talk about writing, directing, producing and starring in Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. during exclusive interviews over Zoom. You can watch the videos here, and read below for an official summary and where to watch the comedy.
Interview with Actress Nicole Beharie
Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. follows Trinitie Childs (Hall), the proud first lady of a Southern Baptist megachurch in Atlanta, who, together with her husband, Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs (Brown), once served a congregation in the tens of thousands. However, a shocking scandal in their personal lives forces their church to temporarily close and rebuild their image.
As a result, Trinitie and Lee-Curtis decide to hire a camera crew to document their effort to reopen their church. They hope the footage will allow them to make the biggest comeback that commodified religion has ever seen.
But along the way, the duo must overcome several obstacles, including their congregation losing faith in their leadership. The Childs must also contend with another married couple, Shakura and Keon Sumpter (Nicole Beharie and Conphidance), planning on opening a rival church on the same day as them – Easter Sunday.
In order to not only save their church, but also their marriage, the Childs must finally take responsibility for their past actions. They’re also forced to accept how those choices will impact their futures.
Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. will be released in theaters, courtesy of Focus Features, and begin streaming on Peacock, this Friday, September 2.