The new film by director by Marc Forster (“World War Z,” “Machine Gun Preacher,” “Quantum of Solace”), titled “White Bird,” is the next chapter from the inspirational wold of “Wonder.” “Wonder” is a 2017 film starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, and Bryce Gheisar that sparked a movement of choosing to be kind.
“White Bird” stars Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt, and Bryce Gheisar, with Gillian Anderson and Helen Mirren. The film picks up Gheisar’s character Julian, who in “Wonder” was expelled for his bullying of Auggie Pullman.
Julian receives a visit from his grandmother, who is played by Mirren and who proceeds to share her story with her grandson of when she was heroically rescued by the unpopular boy in school in her attempt to escape Nazi-occupied France in WWII.
Andrew Erwin Tells ChurchLeaders His Hopes for ‘White Bird’
ChurchLeaders spoke with “White Bird” executive producer Andrew Erwin (“Woodlawn,” “Jesus Revolution,” “Ordinary Angels,” “I Can Only Image”), co-founder of the production company Kingdom Story Company, and asked Erwin what drew him to this project.
“I was just really moved by ‘Wonder,’ and I thought it was a beautiful story about the power of kindness. ‘White Bird’ really takes it to another level,” Erwin said.
He continued, “There’s a line in the movie where Helen Mirren says to her grandson, ‘When an act of kindness could cost you your life, it becomes somewhat of a miracle.’”
“And as a Christian, it spoke to the fact that God calls me to risky kindness,” Erwin added. “I mean kindness without danger, without risk, without courage is kind of cheap, but standing up for what’s right regardless, that’ll preach.”
With so much going on in the world and our nation today, “White Bird” feels like such a timely release. ChurchLeaders asked Erwin about that, and he replied, “As the church, God has called us to stand in the gap for what’s right.”
“And, yeah,” he said, “there’s so many outstanding issues right now that it’s like the only thing that’s going to save our world is Christians standing in the gap for what’s right.” The question is “do we have the courage to that?”
