StudiObrien.com - Film of Father Elijah | Novels

For the past several years, many of you have written to me to say that you believe my novel Father Elijah would make an excellent film. A number of film companies have felt the same. Since the book was first published in 1996, I recall at least eight film-makers in North America and Europe approaching me to discuss a film.

Most of the interested firms were small and brave enterprises, but two of them were major corporations, including Columbia Tristar in the late 1990's. Both my publisher and myself advised the latter that we would consider granting them film rights if, and only if, the essential spiritual meaning of the story was respected. We understood that there are always adaptations needed when bringing a novel to film, but we did not want any distortion of aspects such as the nature of the Church, the holiness of the priesthood, and the unfolding of salvation history. No contract was signed, but Tristar began development of preliminary film treatments for our consideration. However, these treatments grew increasingly more disordered, until in the end it looked like the true meaning of the story had been radically undermined. Because of confidentiality I cannot discuss all that went on, but at least I can say that we firmly refused to consider any corruption of the novel's spiritual significance and mission in the world. As a result, the project was dropped. I was relieved when this happened, because as the work's author I could not bear to see it prostituted in the name of profit.

Other companies and individual film makers, people with higher motivation, have made contact with a view to making a film of the novel but for various reasons (usually funding, and often a fear that the book's orthodoxy would make it a risky venture) they did not pursue it. It has always been my unshakable position that it is better to have no film than a corrupt one. My publisher, Ignatius Press, to its eternal merit, is firmly committed to this as well.

Now, significant doors are opening. I would ask you to visit the site of the Catholic production company Mission2films. Its director Anton Casta and my son John O'Brien have co-written a very fine script, artistically and technically of the highest quality and faithful to the original story. In addition, during the past three years Anton Casta has brought together a development team from around the world, a team that has lately been joined by major Catholic film producers in Europe. We are on the verge of a great step forward. Much of this is dependent, however, on a final rewriting of the script in order to bring Father Elijah to the screen. For this reason I invite you to prayerfully consider making a donation to Mission2Films, with the purpose of funding this essential next step. You can make a donation directly online at the Mission2Films website:

http://mission2films.com/site/about-us/donation.html

If you prefer, you can send me a cheque addressed to my name, with "for Fr. Elijah filmscript" on the envelope. I will then forward the entire amount to the script-writers. My postal address is:

"Fr. Elijah Filmscript"

Michael D. O'Brien,

P.O. Box 294,

Combermere, Ontario,

K0J 1L0,

Canada.

We cannot provide a tax deductible receipt, so this is what Mother Theresa would call pure heart money. As you can readily intuit from this letter, we are not wealthy. What we are doing is stepping forward in radical faith, with few financial resources, depending entirely on Divine Providence. If you cannot make a donation, please offer a prayer for God's will in this brave enterprise. Above all, His holy will, whatever it may be.

I also encourage you to read the transcript of a brilliant talk that Anton Casta recently gave at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy sponsored by the Canadian Chapter of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars:

Mediated Media: a talk by Anton Casta

The producers committed to the project are waiting for revisions to the script to be completed before taking the next steps. When the final script is ready, and all the other production elements are in place, film rights will be requested from the publisher, and major funding obtained for the actual filming. Our task at this point is to do the duty of the moment.

With gratitude for your prayers and encouragement over these past years.

In Jesus Christ our Risen Saviour,

Michael O'Brien

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May 18, 2011

Dear friends,

Thank you very much for the heartening response to my request for assistance for our scriptwriters, who are working on a final draft of the film script of Father Elijah. We reached our objective because of your generosity. And many who couldn’t send a donation gave the priceless gift of prayer. From time to time I will be updating you on developments. Above all, I beg for your continued prayers that the Lord will “make a way through the desert.” If the spiritual message of this story is to be preserved intact and reach many souls, we will be facing a relentless battle. In fact, it has already begun.

There will always be a struggle whenever there are souls who will be helped to turn in the direction of salvation, by the grace of God working through an instrument of culture. There are trials and there are periods of testing when we must put one foot after another in total faith that Jesus is the Master of the Impossible. His “methodology” with us is to ask that we first make an act of total faith, and once we have put our feet on the path of abandonment, then comes confirmation and the resources to continue forward.

Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again!

Michael O’Brien

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Sept 28, 2011

Dear friends,

Today, an update on the new filmscript for Father Elijah. As you will see in the message below, the project has been completed and discussions are underway with potential producers and funders. Much prayer is needed. Above all other considerations, please pray for God's holy will to be done in this work. If it is His will that a film be made of my novel, prayers and sacrifices will be the necessary foundation for its artistic and spiritual quality, and for the bearing of good fruit in many souls.

As I write this newsletter, the words of the Eastern Rite liturgy come to mind:

"With the rivers of your tears, you have made the barren desert fertile. Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, your labors have borne fruit a hundredfold." (Apolytikion for the Feast of St. John Climacus).

Christ's grace and peace be with you in ever greater measure,

Michael D. O'Brien

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From Anton Casta:

Father Elijah Film Project | September Update

I'd like to personally thank all those who have responded to the Father Elijah film script appeal, which raised more than $8500 in donations and many offerings of prayer and solidarity. A big thank you to my script readers and production consultants, especially John O'Brien my benevolent co-writer for finding time during his summer break to add his keen perspective and editorial skills to the new screenplay and Steve Thomas who connected us to Fr. McCloskey and through whom we received an open door to several Catholic producers on this side of the Atlantic. And a special note of gratitude to Michael O'Brien for his unswerving support and whose appeal letter and consequent stream of donations allowed this re-write and new production effort to gain traction.

May our Lord, who is never outdone in generosity, bless you all.

Your beneficence has allowed the completion of a fresh script, building upon the strong lineage of the first it moves some elements forward into a contemporary political landscape while remaining true to the spiritual drama which is its core. This screenplay is now in the hands of several parties who are considering varying degrees of involvement. It is a difficult time to find independent money to fund a film production of this magnitude and so I ask for your continued prayers and support.

Here is a visual preview of some of the locations where the Father Elijah screenplay unfolds:

http://mission2films.com/site/film-work/in-development/133-scene-locations-father-elijah.html

A detailed budget is in the works, as is an effort to connect with other producers, top-tiered directors, and sympathetic talent behind and in front of the lens. Raising awareness and declarations of support will help us on the financial end and the mysterious distribution side of the equation, which must be tackled and secured before the first frame of film is shot.

David Moss of The Association of Hebrew Catholics wrote to me weeks ago:

"I sent a copy of Fr. Elijah to Fr. Friedman and Fr. Friedman then asked me when he could have possibly been interviewed for the book. I told him that the character in the book was wholly of Michael O'Brien's imagination, that he had known nothing of Fr. Friedman. Needless to say, Fr. Friedman was simply amazed at the similarities."

That's Father Elias (Elijah) Freidman! More information about Fr. Friedman and the Association can be found here:

http://hebrewcatholic.org/HCLives/Friedman-Elias/eliasfriedmanocd.html

God willing, I hope in the near future to snag Michael O'Brien for a "making of Father Elijah featurette" so he can share with us the many coincidences that dot a trajectory course to the writing of his novel. Fr. Elias being one such ah-ha moment after the completion of the Father Elijah novel. It is a reminder of God's transcendent subjectivity, and the many ways in which he is present to us through coincidental events. If we would remember to connect all the dots we would begin to see the outline of his radiant fatherly face.

Again, thank you all for helping us pitch a little tent in the desert under the shadow of a fiery mountain called "Yes".

pax

Anton