Higher Ground (2011)

A chronicle of one woman's lifelong struggle with her faith.

Director:

Vera Farmiga

Writers:

Carolyn S. Briggs (screenplay), Tim Metcalfe (screenplay)

Stars:

Vera Farmiga, Joshua Leonard, Dagmara Dominczyk

1 win & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joshua Leonard	...	Ethan Miller
Norbert Leo Butz	...	Pastor Bill
Michael Chernus	...	Ned
Vera Farmiga	...	Corinne Walker
McKenzie Turner	...	Young Corrine Walker
Donna Murphy	...	Kathleen Walker
John Hawkes	...	CW Walker
Matthew Dubas	...	Salesman
Taylor Schwencke	...	Young Wendy Walker
Jillian Lindig	...	Mrs. Tuttle
Bill Irwin	...	Pastor Bud
Alden Rosakranse	...	Tim
Taissa Farmiga	...	Teenage Corinne Walker
James Noon	...	Kirk
Kaitlyn Rae King	...	Teenage Wendy Walker

Storyline

Vera Farmiga's directorial debut, HIGHER GROUND, depicts the landscape of a tight-knit spiritual community thrown off-kilter when one of their own begins to question her faith. Inspired by screenwriter Carolyn S. Briggs' memoir This Dark World, the film tells the story of a thoughtful woman's struggles with belief, love, and trust - in human relationships as well as in God.

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Plot Keywords:

faith | f rated | domestic violence | 1960s | belief in the afterlife | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 March 2012 (New Zealand)

Also Known As:

This Dark World

Filming Locations:

Kingston, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$21,495, 28 August 2011, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$841,206, 1 January 2012

Company Credits

Production Co:

Authentic Management Productions, BCDF Pictures, Group Entertainment, The

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Vera Farmiga's directorial debut.

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Goofs

Vera Farmiga has blue eyes. Taissa Farmiga, the younger sister of Vera who plays the younger version of her in the movie, has brown eyes.

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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: Favorite Films Based on Books (2013)

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Soundtracks

I Need Thee Every Hour
Written by Annie Sherwood Hawks and Robert Lowry
Arranged by Alec Puro
Performed by Jorgen Jorgensen

User Reviews

So good I wish I could recommend it at church

Congratulations to Ms. Farmiga on such an excellent debut as a director.

As a completely involved in church evangelical Christian, it was exciting to see major elements of my lifestyle portrayed accurately on screen for a change. This film takes a kind and thoughtful middle road, not portraying the Christian life at extremes as it so often is- both negatively in many mainstream films and over the top positive in Christian films.

I wish I could send an email to all my church friends telling them to go see this film. But, as the film intimates, there are social and cultural taboos present within Christian churches. Some of the dialog and a few of the images would be so offensive to a small minority of my Christian friends that I would not dare to broadcast a recommendation but rather discreetly recommend it to those who would not be offended.

And a sizable segment of the really committed Christian population does not attend (at least in public) any R rated movie. This movie looks like it could have easily been brought to the screen as a PG-13 and reached a much wider audience.

And I hope this can reach as wide an audience as possible both for its portrayal of the Christian lifestyle and so we get to see more films from Vera Farmiga.