Mormon film took five years to make
Associated Press
SANDY, Utah — A $2 million movie based on Mormon scripture debuted before about 850 people Wednesday night.
Gary Rogers wept as he thanked the people in the Jordan Commons theater who had helped make his five-year dream for "The Book of Mormon Movie" come true.
He introduced cast, crew and investors and said: "Their second goal was to see their money back. Their first goal was to see a movie that would touch people."
Some in the audience won their tickets through media outlets; others were friends and family of the cast and crew. The movie opened in 30 Utah theaters yesterday, and will appear in other Western states in the next few weeks.
Rogers is selling tickets over a Web site, then booking the movie in cities where sufficient tickets are sold.
"We will go anywhere in the world as long as they have a base of 1,000 tickets sold," Rogers said.
He said the response has been international and "we'll be in Sydney, Australia, before we're in Denver, Colo."
The Book of Mormon is one of four books that constitute the canon of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It tells of Lehi, a prophet whos flees from Jerusalem with his family and others. They become the founders of a civilization in the New World.
The first part of the story takes place about 600 B.C., with the families of Lehi and Ishmael journeying through an Arabian desert, crossing a great ocean and reaching the Americas. Volume 1 of the planned nine-movie series ends with the separation of Nephi and his followers from his brothers, Laman and Lemuel, shortly after the death of their father, Lehi.
Rogers, the director and producer, sold his video production company to help finance the movie. He stretched his $2 million budget by relying on Mormon crew members who volunteered their services.
The movie was filmed in Green River and Ogden, Utah; in Hawai'i; and on a Hollywood soundstage.
Rogers said the movie is not endorsed or sponsored by the Mormon church.
The film's PG-13 rating is due to a scene in which Nephi kills an evil ruler.
Future films will depend on this movie making back its money, Rogers said.
