Jonathan Flora, a producer for the Walt Disney Company, has written and directed a 35-minute film on the subject of “partial-birth” abortion – and the buzz surrounding it seems to be quite positive thus far.
Says Flora: “A Distant Thunder is a film I wrote and directed as an independent project outside of Disney. It is a supernatural, courtroom thriller that … is generating awareness and dialogue about a topic surrounded by a great deal of misinformation and controversy.
“While speaking at the Abstinence National Conference this summer, we had the opportunity to meet with the White House Chief Domestic Policy Advisor, Claude Allen. We were also asked to speak at the Council for National Policy, which is a tremendous honor.”
Continues Flora: “We have been to Washington D.C. and met with Congressman Chabot, Senators Santorum and Frist's offices, and several others. They will be holding a Congressional Screening this fall. Just last week Florida Gov. Jeb Bush requested a copy.
“We have also been in contact with Priests for Life and they have been very supportive.” Flora describes the film as “a healing tool,” saying that at a recent screening “[t]he emotional response from post-abortive women, and some men, was overwhelming.”
Asked about the length of the film, Flora says, “We knew going in that we would have the best chance of getting congressmen … to sit for half an hour instead of an hour and a half or longer.
“We also have received a tremendous response for this to be shown in a church classroom setting for teens and in Catholic schools. I don't think we could have done that with a feature length film.
“However,” says Flora, “[a feature film] is something we are hoping could happen as a ‘round two,’ if you will.”
The trailer of the film can be viewed at www.adistantthunder.com
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Matt C. Abbott is a Catholic journalist and commentator. He is a columnist for and/or contributor to MichNews.com, TheConservativeVoice.com, RenewAmerica.us, Catholic.org, Opeds.com and Speroforum.com. He is also an occasional contributor to "The Wanderer" Catholic newspaper. He can be reached at mattcabbott@hotmail.com.
