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Documentary Celebrates the Miracle of Israel's Return

JOURNEY TO FILMMAKING
David, 35, grew up in a Christian home and always liked art and animation.  He started making videos when he was 13 and showed them at church.  His neighbors and “co-producers” were brothers Joel, Luke and Ben Smallbone from the band “for King and Country.”  At 17, David’s film, Belleau Wood, won an award from the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts.  The following year, he was awarded $10,000 from Tommy Hilfiger for directing a patriotic short film about his grandfather’s love for America.  As a young adult, David felt the Lord impress on his heart to not only follow Him, but to use the gifts that God gave him to tell stories of what God is doing around the world.  “Once I hooked onto that, God has blessed me with so much work,” says David.

Producer Lance McAlindon felt the Lord tell him to go to Israel and bring David Kiern with him.  They traveled to the Holy Land and met people over breakfast, lunch and dinner to see if their stories would fit in a documentary about Israel.  After meeting with 15 different groups of people, they were all telling the same story.  “When we talk about Israel in church, we usually talk about ancient Israel,” says David.  “I went over there and realized that God is on the move right now! There are things that God says are going to happen, and they’ve been happening for the last couple of generations.”

TO THE JEW FIRST
The film is 35 minutes long and is narrated by John Rhys Davies, an actor best known for his roles in Lord of the Rings and Indiana Jones.  He got involved in the film when David sent a copy, which was originally narrated with his own voice. John loved the film and recorded the narration in New Zealand.  

The story line includes 6 main characters, from the north to the south, and all represent a theme of the rebirth of Israel.  “One of my favorite lines in the film was spoken by a vineyard owner named Yaakov Berg.  He said that Israel was the best proof God exists and is still acting in our world,” says David.  “It encapsulates one of the main themes of the film.”  

David is making his film available to download for free to churches.  The Blue Ray or DVD can be ordered online at his website, www.IamIsraelfilm.com.  So far 2,000 churches have participated in downloading the film and David hopes that number grows to 10,000 by next year.  “So many Christians have not heard what God is doing in Israel,” he says,.  “They can see the miracle of what He is doing and by doing that, turn the hearts of Christians towards Israel and the Jewish people.”  His film was screened and honored at The Knesset for the leaders of Israel earlier this month in Jerusalem, something that has not ever been done before by the government of Israel. His wife, Natalie, shot all the drone footage.

Mentioned in the Video

Guest Info

Guests
Credits

Filmmaker, films include: Journey to Everest, Sons of Lwala, The Memphis 13, Living Hope; his latest: I Am Israel

Wife: Natalie

6 month old boy

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