By Geno McGahee
Harold Camping, a Christian radio broadcaster, predicted the world would end. Jesus Christ would return on May 21st, 2011, and it would be five months of plagues with millions dying. On October 21, 2011, the world would be destroyed. Despite the fact that he had predicted it before on September 6, 1994, many took him seriously and some too seriously, which brings us to Gerald Bickel’s short film “PRIESTCRAFT.”
Doug Petrini stars in this film. Conflicted and with family problems, he is in a bad place. It is made worse by the predicted gloom and doom. As he drives, the rapture is the talk on the radio and it sits with him. He makes it to a lake and holds a picture drawn by a child. He returns to his car with the radio broadcast still discussing the rapture. He takes out a gun and faces the barrel.
Gerald Bickel’s short film PRIESTCRAFT focuses on the fanatical side of religion (which is most of it) and how it can impact a person who is in a bad way. The film is effective and direct. Bickel does a good job in getting his point across and shoots it in a very artistic manner. It is currently making a run on the festival circuit and it has the right look and message to do well. It will be released officially on October 30th to the public.
