Risen

Description

Risen is an intimate drama set against the thematic backdrop of faith, hope and modern culture. Twelve-year-old Anna and her family are still mourning the loss of her father when Anna is involved in a serious road accident. Pronounced dead at the scene, a mysterious figure slips through the crowd and appears to miraculously resurrect her. The man turns out to be John Manson, a celebrity philosopher and spiritual leader who has come to international recognition through his public speaking and publications. Video of the incident is immediately posted online and by the time Anna is released from hospital, she finds herself thrown into a media frenzy. As she strives to make sense of what has happened, Anna starts to believe that Manson could also raise her father from the dead. Anna’s mother, desperate for life to return to normal, attempts to convince Anna otherwise. With no one left to turn to, Anna sets out to London alone to find Manson. She sneaks into a public lecture he is giving, only to discover that she isn’t the only person who has chosen to confront him that evening...

Biblical Connection

Risen is inspired by the events of Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56 in which a twelve-year-old girl is miraculously risen from the dead by Jesus. The biblical story has been transposed to the present day and focuses on the repercussions of a similar, seemingly miraculous event on a young girl’s life. It also looks at how the modern world of social media and instant, worldwide communication would react to such news and how it would divide opinion today, much as it did 2,000 years ago. Anna’s age provides us with an unbiased viewpoint as she attempts to discover the truth of what happened and who Manson really is. The Gospel passages also describe a prior miraculous healing which occurs as Jesus is making his way to see the young girl. Although this “dual miracle” is not referenced in the trailer for timing reasons, it would feature briefly in the final film and serve as a further catalyst for the hype surrounding Manson.