Christian Ministry to Release First-Ever JESUS Movie in ASL for Deaf People
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – A US Christian ministry to deaf people will release the first-ever feature film about the life of Jesus completely in American Sign Language (ASL) next month, Crosswalk reports. Set for release in theaters on Jun. 20, the film JESUS is produced by Deaf Missions, an Iowa ministry which helps “millions of Deaf people encounter Jesus and to live a life of meaning and purpose.”
“JESUS: A Deaf Missions Film” is directed by Joseph D. Josselyn, with Gideon Firl in the role of Jesus. Both Josselyn and Firl are deaf, Crosswalk reports. The movie will present Jesus’ ministry, including His miracles, His power and His challenges to the Jewish religious leaders around Him.
“Growing up in a Christian family, I watched many films about Jesus. But I always wondered, what if these movies were in sign language?” Josselyn told The Christian Post through an interpreter. “After joining Deaf Missions in 2006, the idea began to take shape, though it seemed daunting at the time due to the scale of production, technology, and funding required.”
“Producing a full feature film in sign language requires significant resources,” Josselyn continued. “But advancements in technology and the power of social media have made it possible. Removing the barriers of captions and interpreters, we let Jesus sign directly to the audience, creating a profound impact.”
“This was such a big opportunity for us. … It’s the best place for deaf people to watch movies, in a movie theater, to be able to sit, to feel like they’re part of the audience,” Josselyn added.
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