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."
AFTER THE STORM FOUNDATION HELPS TO ENERGIZE NEW ORLEANS COMMUNITY CENTER
We hope that you enjoy and continue to support the progress at the North Rampart Street Community Center in New Orleans. The center, formerly known as St. Marks community center, is the backdrop for Hilla Medalia's feature film, After the Storm.
Priddy Brothers, James Lecesne and Rosie O'Donnell have partnered on the feature film by Hilla Medalia, which will continue to raise funds and awarness for New Orleans and North Rampart.
Lecesne has catalyzed the After the Storm Foundation and has provided the energy and vision to keep the effort going to support The North Rampart Community Center and the ongoing efforts in New Orleans.
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.
SIUC Graduate Wins Major Filmmaking Honors
By Pete Rosenbery
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University Carbondale graduate Hilla Medalia, already an award-winning filmmaker, continues to earn national and international recognition.
Medalia's documentary, "To Die in Jerusalem," captured honors in both the United States and France this week.
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 ROADSHOW: The documentary Purple State of Mind hits the road in February 2008. Craig and John will be along for the ride to answer questions after screenings, which will coincide with the national book tour for John's new work of non-fiction about American Christrianity, Reasons To Believe, to be published in January 2008 by Ecco/Harper Collins. The documentary and tour, what we lovingly call our Purple State Roadshow, will be sponsored by the following bookstores, cultural institutions and colleges in these cities.
Please come!
THURSDAY-SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6-9, DAVIDSON COLLEGE, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, NEW YORK THEATER WORKSHOP, NEW YORK, NY
THURSDAY, MARCH 6, POLITICS AND PROSE, WASHINGTON DC
THURSDAY, MARCH 13, MARGARET MITCHELL HOUSE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, BOOK PEOPLE, AUSTIN, TEXAS
MONDAY - TUESDAY, APRIL 21-22, IOWA CITY, IOWA, GENEVA LECTURE SERIES, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
THURSDAY, APRIL 24, WHEATON COLLEGE, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 25-26, LOS ANGELES, LOS ANGELES TIMES FESITVAL OF BOOKS
More screenings will be added in coming weeks, and we'll post them as they come in. In the meantime, if anyone in your town wants to do a Purple State event, please contact us. info@purplestateofmind.com
After the storm selected by IFP market
After the Storm has been selected for the Documentary Work in Progress
section at the 29th Annual IFP Market.
The IFP Market is a four-day showcase for new independent projects. It
is unique in the U.S. for providing a forum for independent
screenwriters, directors and producers with projects at early stages of
development to present their work to industry executives. To facilitate
business opportunites, IFP schedules more than 1,600 one-on-one meetings
annualy for filmmakers with participating projects and high-level
industry executives. In addition five-days of screenings, panels,
workshops, and daily special networking events are designed to further
expand business relationships and accelerate projects.
Purple State of Mind to screen at the City of Angels Film Festival on October 25th
Thursday, October 25th, 7:00 PM
A special 'work in progress' screening of Craig Detweiler's documentary PURPLE STATE OF MIND will kick off the LA FILMMAKERS night at 7pm Thursday. Purple State comes from the Priddy Brothers, acclaimed producers of 51 Birch Street and 39 Pounds of Love. www.purplestateofmind.com
Image Entertainment launches the 51 Birch Street DVD - Available August 14th!
51 Birch Street will be available online and in most video stores beginning August 14th. The DVD features a number of great extras,
including a 21-minute piece featuring the entire Block family's reactions to the film. Meanwhile, apart from pre-ordering the DVD, you
can help us a great deal by requesting it at Amazon, Blockbuster, NetFlix or your local video store. The more demand for it, the wider
the DVD will get out there. And if you've seen the film and liked it, please be sure to leave a positive customer review at one of the
online outlets. The theatrical release was successful largely through fantastic word-of-mouth, so let's make it happen for the DVD, as well!
Out of the Blue will have it's "Blue Carpet" World Premiere in Boise,
Idaho at THE EGYPTIAN THEATER 700 W. Main Street Boise, ID 83702
Sunday, August 26th 7:30pm - 9:30pm Join us after the Screening for
the Premiere After-Party at THE LINEN BUILDING
1402 W. Grove Street
Boise, ID 83702
Tickets to the events are available for purchase on
www.outofthebluepremiere.com.
ALL PROCEEDS FROM TICKET SALES WILL BE DONATED TO THE BOISE STATE
UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
OUT OF THE BLUE ON YouTube!
Excited Boise State Fans Flock to YouTube YouTube Video
PURPLE STATE OF MIND TO SCREEN
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.
JERUSALEM POST DOES FEATURE ON MEDALIA FILM
AVIGAIL LEVY (right) met with would-be suicide bombers in an attempt to understand her daughter's killer.
Death be not Proud by Nathan Burstein, Jerusalem Post (July 11, 2007)
The mothers of a suicide bomber and her Israeli victim go under the lens in 'To Die in Jerusalem,' a documentary which premiered Wednesday at the
Jerusalem Film Festival. Read more
Purple State of Mind to screen "work in progress" at True West Festival
