We just got word. In its November issue, Booklist, the magazine of the American Library Association, names Purple State Of Mind one of the top ten religion DVDs of the year. This is a big deal for us, our first recognition at the national level by a nationally recognized publication.
One remarkable thing about the Purple State experiment has always been its capacity to adapt. Born as a movie, it has moved through the viscous viral underground like H1N1. Okay, maybe that's an overstatement, but every week, a few more DVDs sell, a few hundred more people visit the website, one more cultural tastemaker discovers the movie or one of the books.
We don't want to jump to conclusions here, but the success of the project may also have something to do with exhaustion. More and more people seem to want to climb out of American Thunderdome, where ideologies face each other off like neanderthal futuristic Mohawks in a battle to incoherent death.
Big thanks to the American Library Association for singling us out!
PAINTING THE MAGIC KINGDOM PURPLE
Of all the varied venues we?ve previewed Purple State of Mind (colleges, synagogues, coffee houses, theaters), neither John Marks or I would have predicted we?d end up at Disney World. Yet, Wendy Abberger invited us to address the annual conference of Leadership Florida. Where would 400 sharp civic leaders from business, politics, non-profits, education, and the arts gather? At the happiest (and this week, the sunniest) place on earth?the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida.
We brought our Purple State toolkit, some tangible suggestions for how to prepare and engage in a conversation that has the potential to escalate into something much messier than planned. From ballot measures on gay marriage or English only classrooms to debates about whether a school choir should sing Christmas songs, Florida has been caught in the cultural crossfire. This was a privileged opportunity for John and I to interact with people dedicated to making a positive difference. Leadership Florida will be hosting key debates between 2010 gubernatorial and Senate candidates. They are bringing together red and blue politicians into a civil, ?purple state? of debate.
TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT: PURPLE STATE OF MIND IS PROFOUND AND PROVOCATIVE
It's a Purple-scented morning in Tallahassee, Florida, as Sharon Kant-Rauch at The Tallahassee Democrat writes beautifully about the movie. The sororities are bursting, the movies are unspooling,the oysters are frying and people are talking. What more can you ask for?
Check out the story here. Or if you take a mind, go out and actually buy a newspaper. Newspapers need and deserve our love and money, and I say that with complete and total bias.
Next week, the Purple State Roadshow heads for Florida. What's the big picture?
Our schedule runs the gamut. On separate nights, Craig Detweiler and I will speak at St. John's Episcopal Church. On Wednesday night, April 15, I'll talk about the various religious crises and ruptures that resulted in my book Reasons To Believe. A week later, on Wednesday, April 22, Craig will talk transformation and cinema. Check out the details here.
PURPLE STATE OF MIND AT ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
What do you think of when you hear the words, "Christian University"? Visions of dress codes, mandatory chapels and dry campuses may blow through your mind. This week, at Abilene Christian University, I found far more creative expression than collective repression. I saw public spaces covered with contemporary art. I toured an $18 million facility dedicated to theater, music, and dance. I marveled at a soaring sculpture by Professor Jack Maxwell that captures our aspirations to "Touch the Sky".
Collide Magazine has just announced that Purple State filmmaker, Craig Detweiler's book, Into the Dark, was nominated as "Book of the Year". In addition, Detweiler was also nominated by Outreach Magazine as the "Resource of the Year" for his work on his book and film, Purple State of Mind.
Purple State of Mind has been selected to screen at the Charlotte Film Festival in September. Amongst the other acclaimed films chosen for the competition, the Sundance fave, Flow: For Love of Water, produced by Charlotte native Gill Holland, Jr., the inspiring indie, War Eagle Arkansas and In My Sleep directed by Craig and John's friend, Allen Wolf.
Purple State of Mind will screen at "Discovery Place" in uptown Charlotte on September 28, 2008 at 12:45pm.
AUTHENTIC, MESSY, UNEXPECTLY FUNNY, AND DEEPLY MOVING
In the July issue of "Christianity Today", film critic Brandon Fibbs awarded the "mesmerizing conversation" in Purple State of Mind four stars (their highest rating). Fibbs called Purple State of Mind"an authentic, messy, unexpectedly funny, and deeply moving plea to push beyond that which divides us."
BRECKENRIDGE: PURPLE STATE WINS 'BEST SPIRITUAL FILM'
The comedic documentary, Purple State of Mind, was awarded "Best Spiritual Film" at the 2008 Breckenridge Festival of Film in Colorado. Director Craig Detweiler received the prize from film critic Jeffrey Lyons. Detweiler shared the honor with, "My co-director, co-star and co-conspirator, John Marks." He also thanked the producers of Purple State of Mind, "John Priddy, Ed Priddy, and Mark Priddy - the Priddy Brothers!" Detweiler concluded with the hope that audiences will realize, "The concerns that unite are larger than the beliefs that divide us." Having been designated as "The Best of the Fest,"Purple State of Mind received a second screening at the Breckenridge Festival of Film.
SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT TOUTS THE PURPLE STATE ROADSHOW
Check out a nice plug here in the Santa Barbara Independent for John and Craig's show in Ojai, California. As it turned out, they had people from all walks of belief and disbelief in an audience of about seventy. There were lapsed Baptists, quasi religious scientists, Christian mystics, former Catholics, reformed Jews, Episcopalians, Buddhists and unrepentant skeptics, among others. Madame Blavatsky would have been proud at the sheer eclecticism of the afternoon.
The event, sponsored by the Ojai Film Society, organized by their friends Nomi Morris and John Grant, proved to be their deepest foray into New Age territory. At dinner, after the presentation, there was talk of heart math, kundalini and someone may have even uttered the word chakra.
They didn't get their Pink Moment, that famed instant in the Ojai dusk when the westering sun sets over the water and sends a rose haze up the valley against the sides of the mountains, but they had a Purple Moment, sure enough.
PURPLE STATE CHOSEN FOR BRECKENRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL
Purple State of Mind rolls into the picturesque Colorado town of Breckenridge for the 27th annual Breckenridge Film Festival on Friday, June 6th. This will be our Rocky Mountain premiere! How humbling to screen alongside such acclaimed independent films as the 2008 Oscar winning short, FREEHELD. We look forward to connecting with the Breckenridge community!
IOWA CITY PRESS CITIZEN: PURPLE STATE ROADSHOW COMES TO TOWN
The Iowa City Press Citizen, where Marks covered the education and business beats in 1988 and 1989, has an engaging piece about the Purple State Roadshow. The journalist, Brian Morelli, did a great job of cramming a lot of information into a single article.
Men delve into faith, religion in work
By Brian Morelli Iowa City Press-Citizen
NICK & JOSH & ANNA ON PURPLE STATE OF MIND: THE INTERVIEW
Here's one of the web's most popular podcasts on faith, The Nick & Josh Show, a segment on Purple State of Mind. Craig and John were honored to be asked to chat with Josh and his wife, guest co-host Anna, and the conversation was one of their best.
PURPLE STATE in the RIVERRUN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
We're thrilled to announce that Purple State of Mind will screen at the 10th Annual River Run International Film Festival on Sunday, April 27th, 2008. River Run is one of the premier film festivals in the Southeastern United States.
Struggling With a 'Purple State of Mind' - by Becky Garrison
When I got an invite to attend a screening of the documentary, Purple State of Mind, I went in expecting to see a blue state v. red state dialogue/debate with some quest to find political common ground.
Wrong.
Instead, I was treated to an honest and humorous dialogue between Craig Detweiler and John Marks, two former college roommates. The year 1984 wasn't only the name of a famous Orwellian book, but this year also signified Craig's first year in the faith, John's last. After this fateful year, the two men went on their separate faith paths. The film picks upon their conversation some 25 years later.
PURPLE STATE SCREENS TO ENTHUSIASM AT DAVIDSON COLLEGE
February 8, 2008
I have too much to say about last night's event to be able to put it into words just now, but I'm still a bit in happy shock.
We had twice as many people as expected, almost 200 in a hall meant to seat 100, so it was standing room only, with people on the floor. The morning radio show drew at least a dozen folk who came an hour early from Charlotte to get good seats. We had lots of students and lots of people from Lake Forest Church, so a real mix of beliefs and dispositions.
Check out the February 7th interview as a duo on this excellent NPR morning show, based in Charlotte. It?s the city?s most popular talk show, by all accounts, and Mike Collins did a great job giving the guys equal time.
Purple State of Mind to screen "work in progress" at True West Festival
Friday, August 10th, at 2:30 p.m., there will be a special screening of Craig Detweiler and John Marks' directorial debut, Purple State of Mind. This will be held at the Flicks in downtown Boise, as part of the True West Cinema Festival.
To purchase tickets for this work-in-progress showing of Purple State of Mind, and other films featured at the festival, please visit here.
HILARY SWANK TO PLAY LEAD IN FILM VERSION OF FANGLAND
Academy Award winner, Hilary Swank has landed the lead role as the heroine being hunted by vampires in the movie version of the John Marks' novel "Fangland." Marks' tale is set at a TV news magazine called "The Hour," where bloodthirsty vampires roam the halls. As a former 60 minute producer himself, Marks spins a provocative tale that looks eerily like the sometimes hellish environment of the famous television news show. Swank's production company optioned the critically acclaimed book which was published by Penguin Press and is available in bookstores now.
INFUSE MAGAZINE FEATURES PURPLE STATE'S CRAIG DETWEILLER
Craig Detweiler recently hosted the Biola Media Conference. He talked to Robin Parrish of Infuze Magazine about his upcoming film, Purple State of Mind.
INFUSE MAGAZINE FEATURES PURPLE STATE'S CRAIG DETWEILLER
Craig Detweiler recently hosted the Biola Media Conference. He talked to Robin Parrish of Infuze Magazine about his upcoming film, Purple State of Mind.
PURPLE STATE OF MIND TO SCREEN IN LOS ANGELES AND NORTHAMPTON, MA
Purple State of Mind screened on April 19th at 7:00 pm as the keynote film at the Local Filmmakers Evening in Northampton, MA . In addition the film screened in Los Angeles at the Little Theatre located on the Fox lot on April 23 at 7:30 pm.
