One of the holiest days on the Christian calendar is being celebrated with the showing of two free movies at Okotoks Cinemas.
Foothills Victory Church is presenting “The Passion of the Christ” and “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” at 10 a.m. Good Friday (April 22).
Pastor Dayle Binet said this is not the church’s first venture in showing free public presentations of religious themed films.
“We’ve done these kinds of event three times now,” she said. “We showed the film ‘To Save a Life’ a couple of weeks ago along with a movie that had to do with The Pilgrim’s Progress.”
The pastor said her church chose the movies for screening on Good Friday because the religious holiday commemorates the crucifixion of Christ.
“‘The Passion of the Christ’ is all about the story and the life of Jesus and it’s a strong depiction of the culture of the church and everything that Christianity is based on,” she said. “It’s a great movie to go and see because it gives an accurate biblical perspective on what would have happened at that time. The Narnia one is based on the book ‘The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe’. It’s a great children’s movie but again in it there’s the depiction of the reality of life and the struggles we go through and there’s the depiction of God being this mystical entity that comes in and out of your life represented in the movie by Aslan the lion.”
Due to the somewhat graphic nature of the Mel Gibson directed “The Passion of the Christ” Pastor Binet said the church is recommending only parents attend it while children take in a showing of the Narnia film.
Smaller children, not of an age appropriate for sitting through a showing of either film, will have things to do at the theatre as well Binet explained.
“We also have a nursery that’s going to be provided,” she said. “We have children’s workers that are going to be there and the security set up will be that you drop your children off and only you are allowed to pick them up again.”
The theatre’s concession will be open for the film presentations with regular charges applied. Show time for both films on April 23 is 10 a.m. with doors open at least a half an hour in advance.
The Okotoks Alliance Church is also presenting a Good Friday viewing of “The Passion of the Christ” at 7:30 p.m. at the church. Along with the movie they are having a dessert potluck. People are urged bring to their own dessert but bring enough to share. Childcare will be provided as the movie is rated R and not appropriate for young children.
