The public is invited to The Big Picture screening of the award-winning documentary The Calling with producer-director David Ranghelli, and a discussion on Vocation and Religious Life.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010
7:30 p.m.

Life is a calling. And every call is both thrilling and daunting. Transporting viewers to distant lands and into deep regions of the human soul, The Calling reveals the joys and anxieties of those who are drawn to religious life. Putting flesh and blood on questions that are often viewed too piously or abstractly, this documentary focuses on three members of a newly formed Catholic community that aids the poor living on the dusty edges of Lima, Peru. It’s a film about hard choices and having the faith to make them; providing a glimpse into the deeply personal nature of belief, the bonds of family, and being brave enough to ask: Who am I? Over the course of the film we meet Orlando Castillo, a young man from a prosperous Tampa family who wishes “to live simply” and become a priest, despite his parents reservations. We deal with Mother Mary-Elizabeth’s sense of loss and doubt, as she feels torn between her call and the emotional needs of her biological children. And we witness how Fr. Philip Scott, the community's founder, faces the personal and logistical challenges of moving his fledgling mission from the United States to his native country - Peru. The path into religious life is not always an easy road to traverse. What transpires before our eyes is a moving account of people pursuing a passion, as they cope with the unknown feelings that arise during this tangled and tender process. The film will challenge viewers to question their relationships, temporal and spiritual, as they witness individuals who courageously live out their beliefs.

The documentary was honored as Best International Documentary at the Queens International Film Festival.  The evening will conclude with a remarks by local scholars, and a public forum with producer, director and cinematographer David Ranghelli.

Learn more about this feature documentary online at www.thecallingdocumentary.com.  Learn more about The Big Picture: Documentary Series for Faith and Culture.

Location The Rose Hills Auditorium, Ahmanson Weingart Hall Mount Saint Mary's College (Doheny Campus) 10 Chester Place, Los Angeles, CA 90007 View Maps & Directions

Admission Free and Open to the Public! Donations welcomed.

ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARIAN

David A. Ranghelli is a New York based filmmaker who has worked in the cinema arts for a decade on numerous dramatic, commercial, and documentary projects.  In that time he has worked for David Gruben Productions, HBO, PBS, Bill Moyers Public Affairs Television, NFL Films, and National Geographic to name a few. He has a BA in Fine Arts from St. Johns University and an MA in Journalism and Cinematography from New York University.  In May of 2000 he was awarded a Jesse Ball DuPont Fellowship in Community Outreach through Auburn University. His documentary film credits include: The Rural Studio, a film that features the innovative and progressive work of a unique architecture program created by the late McArthur Fellow, Samuel Mockbee. The film has been shown on PBS nationwide; has played at numerous festivals, winning first prize at the 2003 Barcelona International FilmFest; and was a featured media installation at the Whitney Museum's 2002 Biennial Celebration. A Hole in Chinatown's Heart which also aired on PBS and deals with the after affects of 9-11 on NY's Chinatown. Day Terrors, Nightmares, and Time for Healing;  Bad Cow Comin'; and Josh Graves: King of the Dobro. The Calling is his directorial debut.