Wrestling For Jesus director, Nathan Clarke, recently appeared on WISC-tv to talk about the documentary.

Listen to Kurt Baron interview Wrestling For Jesus director, Nathan Clarke, on WTDY.

Jeffrey Pohorski, the Director of Photography for Wrestling For Jesus recently had a nice write up by his employer, the University of Wisconsin Whitewater. Head here to check it out.

We had a great write up in the Madison weekly paper, the Isthmus, where Wrestling For Jesus was identified as one of 12 films “guaranteed to be worth your while”.

Here’s what they had to say about WFJ

They live in South Carolina, and their wrestling promotion is devoted to spreading the word of God’s love. When they’re not staging matches in masks and spandex, they’re praying and preaching and inviting the saved up to the ring for an altar call.

It’s miraculously juicy material, and I can imagine a documentary that commits the fatal mistake of condescending to these people. To his great credit, Madison-based director Nathan Clarke never does. After the sensational opening acts, Clarke focuses perhaps a little too much on the promotion’s organizer, whose problems are sad but ordinary. But I understand the choice, and the scenes pay off in a delirious grand finale.

Head to the Wisconsin Film Festival site to get tickets.

As part of the world premiere of Wrestling For Jesus at the Wisconsin Film Festival, I’ve commissioned some artist friends to create some pieces inspired by the film. Today, the first piece came in which was created by print maker and linocut guru, Gary Nauman and is part of a series he’s doing. (FYI, “Bring Out That Porkchop” is a line in the film).

Make sure you get your tickets and after the screening, head over to Lucent Room to see the art that’s been created.

Contrary to what many directors would have you believe, making a film is not all about the guy (and rarely the gal – Hollywood’s dark little secret) who yells at the actors and tells them to do it with more ennui. A film is created by a wide range of artists and craftspeople who each bring their talents to bear on a project that most likely will just be a money pit.

So it is with Wrestling For Jesus (I’m talking about the crew here, not the money pit). I (director Nathan Clarke) have been able to work with a great group of artists and creative thinkers that have helped turn WFJ into something far better than I ever could have imagined.

One of those people is Melanie Killingsworth. Recently Mel wrote about her experiences working on the project as an Assistant Editor. I think you’ll enjoy her thoughts.

The annoucement was made today – Wrestling For Jesus will be making its world premiere at the Wisconsin Film Festival at 5:45 on Saturday April 2nd at the Bartell Theatre in Madison, WI. Both the director and the director of photography will be there along with Timothy, the main subject of the film.

There will be a filmmaker Q & A afterwards and then we’ll follow that up with a premiere party and art opening at Lucent Room Studios (305 S. Livingston St.).  I’ve asked a collection of 9 artsits to create art in response to any aspect of the film that moved them. It should be interesting to see what they create.

So come out to the film (tickets are on sale through the Wisconsin Film Festival site), the premiere party, or best yet, come to both.

“Wrestling for Jesus”

Timothy Blackmon felt the drive to evangelize to his fellow man, and did what seemed right in rural South Carolina: he founded an amateur Christian wrestling league to spread the Word. Setting up the battered oilcloth ring in gymnasiums around the county, Wrestling for Jesus might draw a few dozen fans on a good night. Timothy’s better known as T-Money, and he holds together a raggedy group of grizzled old bikers and young skinny wrestlers. It’s tough work, both the praying and the fighting, and inevitably the challenges mount: injuries, family time, and a rival backyard wrestling gang known as the Throne of Anguish Wrestling Federation.

Just a reminder that all the most recent news for Wrestling For Jesus can be found on our facebook page.

And also sign up for our e-mail newsletter.

We’ve got big news coming out next week.

While Wrestling For Jesus takes place in South Carolina, it was produced by Wisconsin based filmmakers. So when we saw this clip, we had to post it. It’s our way of celebrating our Packers’ victory.

For those wondering what we’re talking about, this might give some context…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcwa2EvQ61Y

We are excited to post the official trailer for Wrestling For Jesus.
Please feel free to post wherever you like.
Make sure to head over to our kickstarter page to back the project.