Passage to Zarahemla
| Passage to Zarahemla | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Chris Heimerdinger |
| Written by | Chris Heimerdinger |
| Produced by | Brian Brough and Chris Heimerdinger |
| Starring | Summer Naomi Smart Moronai Kanekoa Brian Kary Seth Packard Alex Petrovitch Bryce Chamberlain Spencer King Jose Bacio Jenny Latimer |
| Music by | Sam Cardon |
Release date |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Part of a series on the |
| Book of Mormon |
|---|
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Passage to Zarahemla is an adventure film directed and written by
This movie is based on the novel by the same name, originally published by Heimerdinger Entertainment[1] in November 2003. The movie version of Passage to Zarahemla, was released to theaters October 15, 2007. Originally intended only as a film, the working title of this film was "Summer of the Nephite", but after unsuccessful attempts to gain backing for its production, the title was reworked and released in novel form as Passage to Zarahemla.[2]
The film ranked 4th overall in Utah the first week of its release.
The film was released to DVD in June 2008.[6]
Overview
Kerra (nicknamed "Sakura" by her father) and Brock McConnell are orphans on the run. To keep from being separated by state authorities, Kerra flees to the only relative she remembers from her earliest childhood - an aunt and uncle who are members of
Plot
The story begins with its focus on a group of hunters illegally hunting game out in the woods. Originally thought to be dead, the hunter's target springs back to life and flees into the heavy brush and trees. Determined not to let the game suffer, one of the hunters decides to pursue the elk in its flight. After some amount of exploration he finds his elk...hanging over a branch, shot by an arrow. Hearing noises he turns around to an arrow shot at him and screams.
Kerra and Brock are introduced to the story line at their mother's funeral. With their father having apparently disappeared for some unknown reason years ago, their mother recently dying, and no other known relatives within the area, the two are set to become wards of the state. In an effort to keep the two together, Kerra decides that they must pack up their belongings and escape before the return of the social worker assigned to their case. Brock, having prior association with a local gang and a criminal record, assists his sister in stealing the social worker's vehicle. The two drive off in a fury in an effort to escape.
Remembering a relative from early on in her childhood, Kerra plots a course for Leeds, Utah, a small LDS rich community in the southern part of the state. Arriving at their aunt and uncle's house, the two concoct a story indicating that they are traveling across the country to meet up with their mother who had recently acquired a new place of employment. With the stolen car having problems, the pair is unable to travel any further until it is fixed, and are offered a place to stay until repairs are completed.
Shortly after their arrival, Kerra is confronted by her cousins with stories from her early childhood days. These stories recall "strange noises" in the woods behind their house and dealings with an "imaginary" being whom Kerra had termed to be "Kid Donni." One night after the siblings arrival, an earthquake shakes the area with the epicenter believed to be near the property of their Aunt Corrine and Uncle Drew.
Following the quake, Kerra is reunited with her "imaginary" childhood friend Kiddoni, who is in reality a noted being from the Book of Mormon. The earthquake is revealed to have caused a "rift" in time - allowing Kerra contact with the ancient Nephite peoples and their adversaries, and allowing Kiddoni and his people to cross the time gap into the modern world.
As the story progresses, the time portal gap expands and eventually allows the
Meanwhile, during their escape from California, Brock had been given a bag by a former gang-member to take out of the area, which is later revealed to be a bag full of illegal drugs. Upon realizing who was in possession of the bag, the gang leader decides to make a trip to the small Utah community to recover the bag.
Near the end of the story the two worlds clash as the rift in time grows very large. The
Cast
- Summer Naomi Smart as Kerra McConnell
- Moronai Kanekoa as Kiddoni
- Brian Kary as Brock McConnell
- Jan Feltas Aunt Corrine
- Seth Packard as Spree
- Alex Petrovitch as Hitch
- Bryce Chamberlain as Grandpa Lee
- Spencer King as Lobo
- Jose Bacio as Adder
- Jenny Latimer as Natasha
Soundtrack
The soundtrack is titled Whispered Visions and is a compilation of songs with music and lyrics by Chris Heimerdinger
| # | Title | Performer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Fly Free" | Chris Heimerdinger, Katherine Nelson Thompson |
| 2 | "Whispered Visions" | Katherine Nelson Thompson, Chris Heimerdinger |
| 3 | "Simple Fellow" | Chris Heimerdinger, Donre Sampson |
| 4 | "Sons of Fire" | Chris Heimerdinger, Alex Boye , Jared Haddock, Michael Sorenson
|
| 5 | "The Way I Feel Inside" | Chris Heimerdinger, Kenneth Cope, Barry Gibbons, Jim Funk, Lori Gibbons, Felicia Sorenson, Katherine Nelson Thompson, Jessie Clark Funk, Tanya Barkdull, Jared Haddock, Daniel Beck |
| 6 | "Good Vs. Evil" | Chris Heimerdinger |
| 7 | "BYU Security Police" | Chris Heimerdinger, Jessie Clark Funk, Tonya Barkdull |
| 8 | "Finally" | Chris Heimerdinger, Jessie Clark Funk |
| 9 | "Savior, Redeemer" | Chris Heimerdinger |
Reception
Critic Sean P. Means of The Salt Lake Tribute gave the film 2.5 stars out of a possible 4. He wrote that Heimerdinger made "a few rookie mistakes" in his debut as a film director, but also "squeezes a lot of visual flair from a minuscule budget" and effectively balances entertaining filmmaking with beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[7]
References
- ^ "Works published by Heimerdinger Entertainment", 2008-09-18, accessed 2008-09-18.
- ^ "Head Humdinger from Heimerdinger?" Utah County Daily Herald. 5 Oct 2007.
- ^ "Passage to Zarahemla Tops List of Current Releases" Archived 2008-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Home".
- ^ "Home".
- ^ "Heimerdinger Music - Featured Item". Archived from the original on 2008-10-06. Retrieved 2008-10-12. Release Date
- ^ "Movies".