Alex Kendrick: 'The Human Heart Is the Primary Canvas' for Our Movies

Audio By Carbonatix

The Christian filmmaker known for such box-office hits as "War Room" and "The Forge" says in a new interview that his primary goal isn’t simply to entertain moviegoers, but to see their hearts transformed by the gospel so they can, in turn, impact their families and communities.

Alex Kendrick is one of only three directors to helm four movies that landed a perfect CinemaScore grade (A+) from moviegoers, first with "Courageous" (2011) and later with "War Room" (2015), "Overcomer" (2019) and "The Forge" (2024).

He’s currently promoting his next faith-based film, "Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul," which lands in U.S. theaters Oct. 16 and tells the story of a crooked used car salesman in Brazil whose life takes an unexpected turn after he rips off his pastor, overcharging the minister and failing to disclose the vehicle’s many problems. The film was shot in Brazil.

Alex and his filmmaking brother Stephen have enjoyed plenty of box-office success – but say they measure the impact of their films by more than ticket sales.

“We take the approach that the movie screen is not our primary canvas,” Alex told Crosswalk Headlines. “The human heart is the primary canvas for what we want to present. We want to paint and tell stories that impact the human heart.”

The goal is, he added, to make films that challenge a person’s faith.

“So it's not just for entertainment; that's a secondary motive. We do want our movies to be very engaging and relatable, but we want to honor the Lord and tell stories that draw people to deeper faith, to inspiration, to courage, to making tough steps.

“... We see movies as an avenue to reach people – because everybody watches movies.”

"Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul" is a groundbreaking project for the faith-based genre, marking the first time a filmmaker of Kendrick’s pedigree has shot a movie outside the U.S. and in another language – Portuguese, no less – with the goal of reaching a different culture with the gospel. The American release will feature English dubbing. It will be released in Brazil in November, in its original language.

The idea grew out of the success of "The Forge" in Brazil.

The people of the South American country are hungry for the gospel, Kendrick said, adding that Brazil has very few faith-based movies.

“They want to launch more Christian platforms and films that honor the Lord, and we're watching God at work down there, so we're excited.”

Photo Credit: ©KendrickBrothers

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.