Creators of “The Sacred Heart”: Satan did not want this film
Karol Darmoros Born from Experience The impetus for creating the film was a family pilgrimage to the sanctuary of Notre-Dame du Laus in southern France in August 2023. "The inspiration truly came from heaven, from Divine Providence," says Sabrina Gunnell. Listening to testimonies, they discovered that the Sacred Heart of Jesus had been present in their history…
The impetus for creating the film was a family pilgrimage to the sanctuary of Notre-Dame du Laus in southern France in August 2023. “The inspiration truly came from heaven, from Divine Providence,” says Sabrina Gunnell. Listening to testimonies, they discovered that the Sacred Heart of Jesus had been present in their history “from the very beginning.”
After returning to Paris, daily, small signs began to appear, as they say. “My husband said to me: ‘Listen, I think we have something to do regarding this Sacred Heart.'” The creators began to pray for discernment. “His will is what matters, so we prayed to know exactly what the Lord wanted in this matter,” adds Sabrina Gunnell.
Steven recalls a moment of prayer when he saw an image of the burning Heart of Jesus above a crowd of people. “We thought it would be wonderful to convey such a message to all of France,” he recalls.
Difficulties and Struggle
The production was accompanied by serious adversities – from a lack of understanding to personal dramas and financial problems. “The first adversity was the attitude of believers, even the Church, who simply didn’t believe, and that strengthened our conviction that this film had to be made,” admits Steven Gunnell.
The film became a cinematic success – half a million people watched it in France. However, there were also attacks: poster displays were refused, and municipal cinemas canceled screenings. “There were associations, cinema chains, and even political parties that rose up against this film,” says the director. The most painful thing for the creators was that some cinemas canceled already scheduled screenings. “That really hurt us,” they recall.
In the assessment of Steven and Sabrina Gunnell, the spiritual dimension of these events is obvious. “I think that in the spiritual realm, Satan did not want this film,” emphasizes Steven. Sabrina, in turn, at one point turned to God in prayer. “I said, ‘Lord God, if you want this film, take care of its promotion.’ The next day, a controversy began, disputes around this very poster and the ban on placing posters, and in this way, we were on all televisions,” adds Sabrina.
Photo by Karol Darmoros
„Przebudziliście mnie”
Medialne kontrowersje sprawiły, że o filmie zrobiło się jeszcze głośniej. „To jest słowo, które powraca: przebudzenie” – mówi reżyserka. Wielu widzów pisało do twórców po seansach: „Przebudziliście mnie”.
Sabrina i Steven Gunnell przekonują, że orędzie Najświętszego Serca nie jest przestarzałe. „Kiedy czytaliśmy przesłanie miłości Bożej, mówiliśmy sobie: «No jak to? Przecież to jest właśnie na dzisiejsze czasy»” – podkreślają.
W świecie naznaczonym przemocą i lękiem – dodają – to przesłanie jest „lekarstwem” i odpowiedzią miłością na miłość Boga. Film „Najświętsze Serce” ma być zaproszeniem do odkrycia, że człowiek – nawet w najbardziej zagubionej rzeczywistości – jest kochany.
Listę kin, które organizują seanse „Najświętszego Serca”, można znaleźć na stronie www.rafaelfilm.pl.
