Jump to content

Knocking (2006 film): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→Film Festival awards: Only include notable festivals if you want to include screenings.
No edit summary
 
(8 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{italic title}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2008}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2008}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Knocking
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| director = Joel Engardio<br>Tom Shepard
| based_on = <!-- {{Based on|title of the original work|creator of the original work|additional creator(s), if necessary}} -->
| producer = Joel Engardio<br>Tom Shepard
| starring =
| narrator = Joel Engardio
| cinematography = Howard Shack
| editing = Jim Klein
| music = Stephen Thomas Cavit
| studio = Open Door Productions<br>[[ITVS|ITVS International]]
| distributor = <!-- or: | distributors = -->
| released = {{Film date|2006|5|1|[[Indy Film Fest|Indianapolis International Film Festival]]}}
| runtime =
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
'''''Knocking''''' is a 2006 documentary film directed by [[Joel Engardio]]<ref>Miller, Lisa, Newsweek, May 28, 2007, Belief Watch: Witness, http://www.newsweek.com/id/34541</ref> and Tom Shepard that focuses on the civil liberties fought for by [[Jehovah's Witnesses]]. It focuses primarily on the stories of three Jehovah's Witnesses, and how their lives demonstrate three fundamental Witness teachings that have affected society in general: [[Conscientious objector|Conscientious objection]], and rejection of [[blood transfusion]]s and [[Bellamy salute|saluting the flag]].
'''''Knocking''''' is a 2006 documentary film directed by [[Joel Engardio]]<ref>Miller, Lisa, Newsweek, May 28, 2007, Belief Watch: Witness, http://www.newsweek.com/id/34541</ref> and Tom Shepard that focuses on the civil liberties fought for by [[Jehovah's Witnesses]]. It focuses primarily on the stories of three Jehovah's Witnesses, and how their lives demonstrate three fundamental Witness teachings that have affected society in general: [[Conscientious objector|Conscientious objection]], and rejection of [[blood transfusion]]s and [[Bellamy salute|saluting the flag]].


Line 10: Line 31:


==Criticism==
==Criticism==
Critics of Jehovah's Witnesses said the film did not deal harshly enough with controversies surrounding the religion, like the practice of disfellowshiping. Engardio told film festival audiences that ''Knocking'' contained criticism organic to the film's story. Engardio has written Washington Post essays critical of Jehovah's Witness practices, including shunning<ref>{{cite web|title=When religion is the bully|date=November 7, 2010|author=Joel P. Engardio|work=OnFaith|url=http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2010/11/07/when-religion-is-the-bully/1226}}</ref> and refusal of blood transfusions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2010/02/17/witnesses-blood-and-spiritual-complications/4044|title=Witnesses, blood and spiritual complications|date=February 17, 2010|author=Joel P. Engardio|work=OnFaith}}</ref> Engardio has also written essays for the ''Washington Post'' and ''USA Today'' about civil rights issues involving Jehovah's Witnesses outside the scope of his film. Most notable was the 2010 ruling by a federal judge that overturned California's ban on gay marriage, in which the key legal precedent cited by the judge was a 1943 Supreme Court case won by Jehovah's Witnesses.<ref>{{cite web|title=How Jehovah's Witnesses helped kill Prop 8|date=August 6, 2010|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-08-06-engardio05_ST_N.htm}}</ref> Another ''Washington Post'' essay by Engardio warns that a ban on Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia is a dangerous precedent that could lead to the loss of freedoms for other unpopular groups in the emerging democracy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2009/12/10/russias-ban-on-jehovahs-witnesses/8535|title=Russia's bans on Jehovah's Witnesses|date=December 10, 2009|author=Joel P. Engardio|work=OnFaith}}</ref>
Critics of Jehovah's Witnesses said the film did not deal harshly enough with controversies surrounding the religion, like the practice of disfellowshiping. Engardio told film festival audiences that ''Knocking'' contained criticism organic to the film's story. Engardio has written ''Washington Post'' essays critical of Jehovah's Witness practices, including shunning<ref>{{cite web|title=When religion is the bully|date=November 7, 2010|author=Joel P. Engardio|work=OnFaith|url=http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2010/11/07/when-religion-is-the-bully/1226}}</ref> and refusal of blood transfusions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2010/02/17/witnesses-blood-and-spiritual-complications/4044|title=Witnesses, blood and spiritual complications|date=February 17, 2010|author=Joel P. Engardio|work=OnFaith}}</ref> Engardio has also written essays for the ''Washington Post'' and ''USA Today'' about civil rights issues involving Jehovah's Witnesses outside the scope of his film. Most notable was the 2010 ruling by a federal judge that overturned California's ban on gay marriage, in which the key legal precedent cited by the judge was a 1943 Supreme Court case won by Jehovah's Witnesses.<ref>{{cite web|title=How Jehovah's Witnesses helped kill Prop 8|date=August 6, 2010|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-08-06-engardio05_ST_N.htm}}</ref> Another ''Washington Post'' essay by Engardio warns that a ban on Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia is a dangerous precedent that could lead to the loss of freedoms for other unpopular groups in the emerging democracy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2009/12/10/russias-ban-on-jehovahs-witnesses/8535|title=Russia's bans on Jehovah's Witnesses|date=December 10, 2009|author=Joel P. Engardio|work=OnFaith}}</ref>


==Main characters==
==Main characters==
Line 36: Line 57:
*[https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/knocking/ ''Knocking''] site for [[Independent Lens]] on [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]]
*[https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/knocking/ ''Knocking''] site for [[Independent Lens]] on [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080516094925/http://www.itvs.org/outreach/knocking/knocking_studyguide.pdf ''Knocking'' Study Guide PDF]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080516094925/http://www.itvs.org/outreach/knocking/knocking_studyguide.pdf ''Knocking'' Study Guide PDF]
*{{imdb title|id=0479939|title=Knocking}}
*{{IMDb title|id=0479939|title=Knocking}}


[[Category:Documentary films about religion]]
[[Category:Documentary films about religion]]
[[Category:American documentary films]]
[[Category:American documentary films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:Films about Jehovah's Witnesses]]
[[Category:Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses]]
[[Category:Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses]]
[[Category:2006 films]]
[[Category:2006 films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]

Latest revision as of 17:02, 13 September 2024

Knocking
Directed byJoel Engardio
Tom Shepard
Produced byJoel Engardio
Tom Shepard
Narrated byJoel Engardio
CinematographyHoward Shack
Edited byJim Klein
Music byStephen Thomas Cavit
Production
companies
Open Door Productions
ITVS International
Release date
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Knocking is a 2006 documentary film directed by Joel Engardio[1] and Tom Shepard that focuses on the civil liberties fought for by Jehovah's Witnesses. It focuses primarily on the stories of three Jehovah's Witnesses, and how their lives demonstrate three fundamental Witness teachings that have affected society in general: Conscientious objection, and rejection of blood transfusions and saluting the flag.

Knocking explored how Jehovah's Witnesses played a major role in First Amendment history, setting Supreme Court precedents that expanded individual liberties for all Americans.

In interviews, director Joel Engardio said Knocking is not about the theology of Jehovah's Witnesses but instead uses the religion as a case study to examine how disparate and disagreeable groups can hold their unique beliefs without marginalizing or limiting the freedom of others. "We may not be each others' cup of tea," Engardio said on NPR, "but tolerance allows a variety of kettles to peacefully share the stove."

Knocking won several film festival awards including Best Documentary at the USA Film Festival and was covered in Newsweek, USA Today and newspapers across the United States. Entertainment Weekly named it "What to Watch." Knocking was broadcast in the United States on PBS. It was also broadcast in Australia, Canada, Greece and Israel. Knocking was released on DVD in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Korean.

Criticism

[edit]

Critics of Jehovah's Witnesses said the film did not deal harshly enough with controversies surrounding the religion, like the practice of disfellowshiping. Engardio told film festival audiences that Knocking contained criticism organic to the film's story. Engardio has written Washington Post essays critical of Jehovah's Witness practices, including shunning[2] and refusal of blood transfusions.[3] Engardio has also written essays for the Washington Post and USA Today about civil rights issues involving Jehovah's Witnesses outside the scope of his film. Most notable was the 2010 ruling by a federal judge that overturned California's ban on gay marriage, in which the key legal precedent cited by the judge was a 1943 Supreme Court case won by Jehovah's Witnesses.[4] Another Washington Post essay by Engardio warns that a ban on Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia is a dangerous precedent that could lead to the loss of freedoms for other unpopular groups in the emerging democracy.[5]

Main characters

[edit]
Lillian Gobitas
As a girl in Pennsylvania, she and thousands of other Witness children's refusal to salute the flag of the United States initiated controversy that led to a pivotal U.S. Supreme Court ruling on freedom of religion.
Joseph Kempler
Born a Jew, he converted to the Jehovah's Witness faith after observing their integrity alongside Jews in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. After converting, Kempler remained distant from his daughter who had been raised by Jewish relatives. To draw his family closer together, Kempler took them on a trip to Europe to see his home country and visit the Melk and Auschwitz concentration camps.
Seth Thomas
A 23-year-old Witness who, despite the risk and opposition from non-Witness relatives, refused blood transfusions with his liver transplant operation. While initially refused treatment by the Baylor University Medical Center of Texas, surgeons with the University of Southern California University Hospital in Los Angeles agreed to perform the operation, believing that research in bloodless surgery is necessary and should be explored.

Film Festival awards

[edit]
  • Best Documentary, Jury Award, 2006 USA Film Festival (Dallas)
  • Best Documentary, Jury Award, 2006 Trenton Film Festival (New Jersey)
  • Best Documentary, Audience Award, 2006 Indianapolis International Film Festival
  • Best First Film, 2006 Long Island International Film Expo

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Miller, Lisa, Newsweek, May 28, 2007, Belief Watch: Witness, http://www.newsweek.com/id/34541
  2. ^ Joel P. Engardio (November 7, 2010). "When religion is the bully". OnFaith.
  3. ^ Joel P. Engardio (February 17, 2010). "Witnesses, blood and spiritual complications". OnFaith.
  4. ^ "How Jehovah's Witnesses helped kill Prop 8". August 6, 2010.
  5. ^ Joel P. Engardio (December 10, 2009). "Russia's bans on Jehovah's Witnesses". OnFaith.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Knocking_(2006_film)&oldid=1245550855"