The eagerly anticipated next chapter in the Wonder series, based on the best-selling books by R. J. Palacio, has been a long time in the making. But “White Bird: A Wonder Story,” the new Holocaust-era film that builds on the themes introduced in the beloved 2017 story about Auggie Pullman, could not have come at a better time.
Kevin Downes, CEO of The Kingdom Story Company, which helped produce “White Bird” and is responsible for successful faith films like “Jesus Revolution” and “I Still Believe,” recently sat down with The Washington Times’ Higher Ground to discuss the new film and the valuable lessons that he says are “so needed today in today’s society.”
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“Like, man, if our whole world needs a dose of ‘White Bird’ right now because the kindness themes are thrust forward,” Mr. Downes noted. “And I think the message of kindness is very important, no matter what side you sit on. Like, we can all do better by exhibiting more kindness to our fellow man in my opinion, [and] I just think we should be treating others the way that we want to be treated. And that is the theme of ‘White Bird.’”
“White Bird” picks up where “Wonder” left off in terms of the story of former bully Julian Albans (Bryce Gheisar), who was expelled from Beecher Prep Middle School over his treatment of Auggie Pullman. As Julian struggles to fit in at his new school, he’s visited by his grandmother (Academy Award winner Helen Mirren), who tells him the story of her attempts to escape Nazi-occupied France during World War II with the help of a classmate who was bullied by everyone — and how it changed her life forever.
And while the film is very much a continuation or sequel of “Wonder,” it also acts as a prequel of sorts — showing the value of challenging life experiences and their power to transform us for the better if we let them.
“[These] are the types of movies you want that really challenge your thinking in such a way that, ‘You know what? I can be better in this as a Christian. As a believer, I can be better in this area, this facet of my life,’” Mr. Downes said. “And you never know when people are hurting. Like people can be hurting, whether it’s emotionally or physically or whatnot. And maybe that act of kindness that you can give to them can transform their life in a way you never expected.”
That is especially true as Mr. Downes considers the highly charged political landscape of today and growing anti-Semitism worldwide following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack. But while the story clearly has an emotionally charged Holocaust setting, the story of “White Bird” is more about human nature and the power of kindness to overcome — regardless of the circumstances.
“Typically, in Holocaust stories, the elements surrounding the Holocaust are so strong that you kind of get lost in that moment. For ‘White Bird,’ for me, that wasn’t the case,” he said. “I was so transfixed by the actions of our two young lead characters in this film and how that can relate to young people today… It’s a beautiful tale that will surprise you, but the acts of self-sacrifice and selfless love and the thematic of kindness that are at the forefront of this film are so strong… It just leaves you, at the end, for me at least as a moviegoer, cheering and wanting more.”
“White Bird: A Wonder Story” opens in theaters October 4.
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Marissa Mayer is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her work has been featured in Christian Post, The Daily Signal, and Intellectual Takeout. Mayer has a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from Arizona State University.
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