PALAU

US, 2019, 116 minutes, Colour.

Gaston Pauls, Santiago Achaga, Augustin Amoedo, Alexia Moyano, Alexandra Bard, Darren Dowler, Manuel Ramos, Daniel Roebuck,

Directed by Kevin Knoblock.

Evangelical preacher, Luis Palau, was not on this reviewer’s radar. This was a reminder that those who belong to particular churches are very much involved in the life of those churches and not aware of what happens in other religious groups, their religious leaders, different aspects of faith, approaches to the Scriptures, Gospel injunctions, confessions of faith. And there is the difference between Christians who emphasise the word of God, listening to the proclaimed word, preaching, and Christians who also have a more sacramental approach, religious rituals and celebrations.

Which means that this film is important for Evangelical Christians who know and know of Luis Palau, and that it is an opportunity for those unfamiliar with Evangelical Christianity to observe and to learn. It can be noted that this strong perspective on Evangelical Christianity is in no way aggressive towards others, no criticisms, no suggestions of any rivalries. Where it can be of interest to Catholic communities is that it highlights the growing presence of Evangelical Christianity in Latin America, inviting the audience to accompany Palau and his faith and preaching journey, its style, its impact.

The film is straightforward in its style of storytelling (not arthouse cinema style), making it immediately accessible to its intended audience. It is biography, admiring of its subject, showing his abilities as well as difficulties, not a hagiography. Rather, an acknowledgement and tribute.

Luis Palau was born in Argentina, the film showing glimpses of his early years, the conversion of his father, his father’s reading the book of Proverbs, a chapter a day, his father’s sudden death from pneumonia because medical supplies were limited because of the war. It is 1944. The young Luis is devoted to his warmly caring mother. And he does hear a radio broadcasts by Billy Graham which stirs his imagination about preaching.

The film shows him 10 years later as a young man, working in an office, but motivated by preaching the word, organising brief radio programs, supported by his co-work in the office, drawing the attention of visiting American evangelical authorities who suggest moving to the United States for theological education and training.

The film then moves ahead another 10 years with Luis in Portland, Oregon, now married to local teacher, Pat, beginning a family (the film not showing anything of courtship, marriage). There is a happiness of his mother’s visit. While their situation is difficult, there is help from the local church authorities, and the proposal that they go to Colombia for mission work, which they do, and with the help of Luis’s co-worker from the past, Jorge. One of the main activities in Colombia, 1966, is the organisation of a mass rally in Bogota, an invitation to all the church to participate, initial suspicion from the authorities, but Luis preaching to an assembly of 20,000 people, urging a new life and conversion.

There is a small significant sequence with Luis in the United States, he and Pat going to a Billy Graham rally, Billy Graham himself sitting with them at a lunch break, friendly, encouraging. The sequence is very short but Billy Graham makes a very strong impression – and then invites Luis to stand on the stage with him translating, with the same intense enthusiasm, Billy Graham’s words for the Hispanic community.

There is also a sequence, in the Presbyterian Church, where Luis is preaching and it has an effect on a member of the congregation who stands and confesses what is wrong with his life – leading to family reconciliation and people further confessing.

The sequences are very reminiscent of African-American evangelical churches and the congregations, very much alive, singing, praising, confessing. Luise’s services are not quite so emotional, more low-key.

And that is where the narrative of the film finishes. What follows is information about Luis Palau‘s ministry, a 60 year ministry, his dying in early 2021. He was considered something of a second Billy Graham. He preached with energy over the next decades, glimpses of rallies included from all over the world. He wrote books. He was very prominent in a radio ministry. The screenplay of the film, written by its director, Kevin Knoblock, who has made many documentaries (ranging from a study of George Washington to Pope John Paul II’s nine days visit to Poland) stays with the faith ministry and does not include any of the social issues, sexuality issues, that preoccupy militant Evangelicals.

At the end, there is a clip of a television interview with Luis Palau himself. He has quite some verve in his old age, something of a twinkle in his eye, energetic gestures – which made this reviewer realise the limitations in the performance and the direction of the actor, Argentinian Gaston Pauls, in communicating the early life of Luis Palau. The actor is very serious, sometimes rather dour, and, in retrospect, not particularly charismatic at all. So, it was something of a relief to get the moments of the actual Luis Palau.

This is a significant film for evangelical Christians. It is a film of interest for non-evangelical Christians, a reminder of the presence and power of these faith-based communities.

1. A Faith-inspired film? Drama rather than documentary? The impact for evangelical audiences? Non--evangelical audiences? Non-faith audiences?
2. Audience knowledge of Luis Palau? Argentinian, his story, his father’s conversion and religious beliefs, evangelical, the war situation and his father’s dying of pneumonia? At home, his bond with his mother? Listening to Billy Graham, inspired, wanting to preach? 10 years passing, going to work, his faith, his co-worker and their friendship, his doing the radio broadcasts, his co-worker hearing him, encouraging him? The visit of the evangelical preacher, affirmation, training in the United States, his going there?
3. The transition to the 1960s, Luis in Oregon, the fact that he is married, no dramatising of the courtship and early years? His mother’s visit? His children? His mother and meeting Pat? The training, possibility for preaching, establishing churches?
4. The importance of the sequence with Billy Graham, Billy Graham and his charismatic personality in a short sequence, at the table, friendly, talking about their work? Luis and his being a translator for Billy Graham at the rally, finding his preaching voice and inspired by audience response?
5. The discussions with the local evangelical members, decisions about churches, the impact going to Columbia, setting up there, the difficulties? Jorge and his arrival? The work in Columbia, the churches, government issues and difficulties in the 1960s? The decision about the rally, the invitation to all the churches, letting everybody know, notices? The assembly itself, the inserts from actual footage of the occasion? Luis, Jorge, in the vehicle, the announcement, loudspeakers, the police official and his nodding? The 20,000 people, the range of churches, everybody invited, an invitation to conversion and a new life?
6. Luis and his work in the Presbyterian Church, preaching, the man confessing his sins, reconciliation with his family, the beginning of the confessing and acknowledging of sins during the preaching?
7. The actor portraying Luis, very serious, not smiling? Somewhat dour and uncharismatic in his dealings with people? His coming alive during the preaching, a different personality?
8. The end of the film, the images of the actual Luis Palau, his preaching, the information about his ministry, a second Billy Graham, preaching all over the world, the hundreds of thousands in his congregation, his writings, radio broadcasts? A 60 year ministry?
9. The final image of Luis Palau himself, elderly, but full of energy, eye twinkle, gestures, persuasive (more charismatic than the actor who portrayed him?)? The film as a tribute to him and an opportunity for evangelical Christians to appreciate him and his ministry?
10. An eye and mind opening experience for non--evangelical Christians?