EU Films’ Inheritance was recently accepted into the Texas Faith & Film Festival where it received the award for best student feature.
The film was directed by Holly Black, 2020 Evangel graduate, originally produced as part of the Evangel Film Workshop, but was put on hold by COVID-19 restrictions. Filming was delayed, and editing took place during the early spring before Inheritance premiered on Evangel’s campus March 25, 2021.
Inheritance is a dramatic story about a family facing loss and financial insecurity after the youngest son takes off with a large sum of money from the family’s business. A homeless man finds the son beaten and robbed and helps him in getting his life put back together.
The Process
With Evangel having gone online during the spring semester 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic outbreak, the on-campus filming moved to remote locations. Holly Black reached out to the cast of Inheritance, all willing to continue the filming, and production continued with the precautions of hand sanitizer, mask-wearing on the set, and a smaller crew.
“The cast was amazing,” said Black. “Sometimes we were filming at 2 a.m. and the cast was still giving 100% in every take.”
The cast and crew, which soon came to be like family to one another, are what held the film together and ensured that Black’s vision would be realized.
“Evangel taught me that community is a blessing and that everything is better when you do it together. The knowledge about collaboration is the most important thing I learned in college, and it’s what I’m going to carry with me for the rest of my life,” said Black.
Inheritance received lots of praise during its release, many students reporting that the story had greatly impacted them.
“I knew I had a film that had a message bigger than us. It was about forgiveness, compassion, and reconciliation. Those are the components of what Jesus’ messages are all about: reconciling humanity to the Father,” said Black.
The film is currently being shown on EUTV and will be featured on the student media website as well as DVDs will be for sale this fall.
Evangel’s Communication Department
Evangel’s Communication Department prepares students to pursue careers within various communication-related fields. Students study video, audio and film production, journalism, public relations, advertising, public speaking, multimedia design, and much more – all applied through methods of electronic media, print, and oral communication.
EU Films is only one of the student media opportunities available to get hands-on experience in your field of interest. Professors with real-world experience in marketing, public affairs, and video production provide immersive instruction intended to position you for career success. Diverse student-led programs such as EUTV television studio, KECC radio station, EU films video production company, Crusader Media website, the Lance on campus newspaper, and Excalibur yearbook provide you the opportunity to put your practical training to use.
