Wendy R. Williams Talks With Filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grody of Jesus Camp Opened Friday, September 22, 2006 Press Roundtable The Regency Hotel September 18, 2006 Photographed by Wendy R. Williams See review

Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grody

Documentary filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s (The Boys of Baraka ) Jesus Camp tells the story of an Evangelical pastor named Becky Fischer and her mission to train young children to be warriors for Christ. The filmmakers follow Fischer from her church services in Missouri through her preparations for and hosting of a Christian children’s camp named “Kids on Fire” in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota.

Question: Please talk about the intermingling of religion and politics within the Christian Right.

Heidi Ewing: In New York City we think we are on the cusp of culture. But there is a big country out there and in the heartland are large numbers of Americans who are working to push their religious views throughout the country.

Rachel Grody: Evangelicals do not see their actions are political. They do not see themselves as political activists. [After making this film], now we understand the culture war. Most people do not realize that we are in a culture war.

Heidi Ewing: The leaders (of the Christian right) know that it is political. But the followers think “We are not political, we are doing God’s will.” And you can’t reason with that. They find popular culture vile and do not expose their children to it.

Question: The film has been described as very even handed. Would you respond to that?

Heidi Ewing: We decided that it would be the most provocative if we kept our point of view out of the film.

Question: What religion are you?

Heidi Ewing: I am not a church going person. I am what you describe as a lapsed Catholic. And as a lapsed Catholic, my religion was considered to be the bottom of the barrel. They were much more interested in Rachel being Jewish.

Rachel Grody: I would have been a good “get” for someone. The Christian right are Zionist and pro Israel.

Heidi Ewing: It is not in the film but they asked Rachel to pray on the Israeli flag. They have Israeli flags in their home.

Question: How did you talk Becky Fisher into cooperating with you?

Heidi Ewing: We showed her our last film, The Boys of Baraka, and she liked it. Becky Fisher is actually promoting the film. She thinks it is a good way to expose people to her cause.

Question: How was it for you to watch the kids crying uncontrollably in the “Washing of Hands” scene? That was very hard to watch.

Heidi Ewing: It was a very draining scene in the movie. In the film it lasts six minutes, but the actual scene lasted for three hours. We were focused on getting it [in the camera] and only later did we think, “Boy, that was awesome.”

Question: What was left on the cutting room floor?

Heidi Ewing: There was some wild stuff. The DVD will be amazing.

Rachel Grody: On Becky’s website there are some incredible things. They train kids to be prophets, heal the sick and raise the dead. We ended up leaving out the Pentecostal elements.

Question: How do you feel about the film being given a PG13?

Rachel Grody: Obviously we wish it had not so more people could see it. Parents may be reluctant to take their children; it is probably because of the references to abortion. But it is most important that the film be seen by people who can vote.

Many thanks to Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grody for talking to www.newyorkcool.com