Noonday Films is an independent film company committed to producing true stories that challenge oppressive social realities and bring hope that peace and love can and do exist. The content of their films include poverty in the third world, HIV/AIDS, urban agrarianism, and non-violent action in the Middle East. Matthew Leahy and Elisa Stone, are a husband and wife filmmaking team. Their friend Philip Storer has come on board as producer for their more recent work. They have won awards for their documentaries in both the USA and Canada.
I have had the pleasure of following the work of Noonday Films for the past several years. Each time I see a new film from them, what strikes me is the constancy of their vision. Their documentaries have a way of piercing through the brokenness of the world and wrestling out a bit of redemption. Their stories raise awareness about the needs of the world, but I think they do more than this. Each film is an impassioned invitation to take action, and to welcome the inbreaking of the kingdom of God on earth.
They are currently working towards turning their most recent short documentary “Old Radicals” into a feature length film. Matthew writes about the shocking turn of events that this film project has taken: “We were blindsided when Art Gish, the major subject of “Old Radicals”, died in a farming accident in July. We were shocked and very sad. In light of these events we’re committed all the more to making this movie though it will most certainly look much different now.” Click Old Radicals (8 min) to view the documentary. Below are two stills from “Old Radicals” and one from “Montana de Luz”:
Click on the links below to view two more documentaries from Noonday Films:
Beautiful Reasons (7 min). An intimate look at one man’s struggle with fear and anxiety, and the beautiful reasons that he has to resist them. In this short documentary, Matthew opens up a quiet space within his own life that is filled with fear and despair, and yet even more full of hope.
Montana de Luz (trailer – 2 min). On a Honduran mountainside overlooking vast fields of sugar cane, a six-year boy named Marlon dreams of becoming an artist. Twelve-year-old Inri dreams of attending university. Little Yorleni simply dreams of having a family. Meet the children of the Montana de Luz orphanage, their lives a living testament to the beauty and innocence of childhood in the face of adversity beyond their years. With artistry and honesty, the camera paints a stirring portrait of a loving community where nothing is truly certain by hope and where each birthday is a celebration of dreams fulfilled and dreams to come.
