Jesus Camp (2006)

A documentary on kids who attend a summer camp hoping to become the next Billy Graham.

Directors:

Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady

Stars:

Mike Papantonio, Lou Engle, Becky Fischer

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Lou Engle	...	Himself
Becky Fischer	...	Herself
Ted Haggard	...	Himself
Mike Papantonio	...	Himself - Commentator

Storyline

Jesus Camp follows several young children as they prepare to attend a summer camp where the kids will get their daily dose of evangelical Christianity. Becky Fischer works at the camp, which is named Kids on Fire. Through interviews with Fischer, the children, and others, Jesus Camp illustrates the unswerving belief of the faithful. A housewife and homeschooling mother tells her son that creationism has all the answers. Footage from inside the camp shows young children weeping and wailing as they promise to stop their sinning. Child after child is driven to tears. Juxtapose these scenes with clips from a more moderate Christian radio host (who is appalled by such tactics), and Jesus Camp seems to pose a clear question: are these children being brainwashed?

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Plot Keywords:

evangelical | bible belt | pentecostalism | watching tv | cardboard cutout | 

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Taglines:

America is being born again

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Genres:

Documentary

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some discussions of mature subject matter

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 April 2007 (France)

Also Known As:

Campamento Jesús

Filming Locations:

Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$17,659, 17 September 2006, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$902,544

Company Credits

Production Co:

A&E IndieFilms,Loki Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min 58 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In an episode of 50 Documentaries to See Before You Die (2011), Levi, the young boy spotlighted from the bible camp, pointed out that his mother's quote "Our firm belief is there are two kinds of people in the world: people who love Jesus and people who don't," actually concluded with "And they both deserve love and respect," and that she had been cut off prematurely to add to the context of the film.

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Goofs

Becky Fisher swings a stuffed Lion and says "You've got a Tiger by the tail".

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Quotes

Levi's Mom: Did you get to the part yet where they say that science hasn't proven anything?

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Connections

Featured in Propaganda (2012)

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Soundtracks

Breathe Prophesy
Music and lyrics by Todd Ganovski

User Reviews

One part makes sense...

It makes sense that this film came out in October, as it is the scariest movie I've seen in a loooooong time.

I was a little nervous at first because I assumed that most of the people there would be uber conservative, but when the camp leader screamed, "If Harry Potter had lived during Biblical times he would have been put to death," and everyone laughed at her absurdity, I knew it was going to be okay.

The "funniest" part was when a really young girl, no more than 9, approached these three older men outside the nation's capital and asked them "If you died *right now* do you know where you would go?"

The men said, "yes." No inflection to their voices, no emotion.

"Are you *sure*? she pressed, desperate for a chance to proselytize.

"Yes," they said again, calm as you please.

She walked off muttering, "I think they're Muslim." LOL! It was hilarious! Then she asked her young friend, "Do you think they think we're trying to sell something?" The whole theater burst out laughing.

The best part was when the kids gathered around a card board cut out of George W. Bush, asking God to give him wisdom. If only....