"Storytellers First": Young Adventist Filmmakers on Faith Without the Sermon
Church and college reports on the Sonscreen student film festival quote young filmmakers and teachers describing faith-shaped films that tell stories instead of preaching.
Sonscreen is the North American Division's annual film festival for young filmmakers. The 2026 festival, its 24th, was held April 9–11 at Loma Linda University Church. According to the division, which runs the festival, it drew 222 participants and screened 56 student films from 72 entries.
What stands out is how some participants describe faith in film. In the division's 2026 report, a student whose film satirized Christian movies said, "When we tell faith-based stories, sometimes we think we have to preach, but we are storytellers first." The same report notes that "not all the films had overtly Christian messages," and quotes a festival director: "Creativity is not separate from worship."
A Southern Adventist University news story from August 2026, written by a student, quotes a film teacher: "Our students told stories from the heart... Their work had purpose beyond just entertainment." It also quotes a student animator connecting her art with giving glory to God.
A division feature from August 2025 adds earlier examples. It describes a documentary about a chosen grandfather in Peru, a comedy drawn from a filmmaker's life in a wheelchair, and a student documentary about the history of their academy. The winning documentarian said seeing "Christocentric" films "reassures me of my faith."
These voices suggest a view of creative work as a form of worship that doesn't have to preach openly.
Sources (3)
- North American Division: "Sonscreen 2026: Where Storytelling Becomes a Calling" (24 Apr 2026) — Official
- Southern Adventist University: "Students Earn Top Honors at Sonscreen Film Festival" (17 Aug 2026) — Official
- North American Division: "More than a Festival: Helping Young Creatives Find Their Voice" (7 Aug 2025) — Official
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"Storytellers First": Young Adventist Filmmakers on Faith Without the Sermon. Puls Strom, Nov 6, 2026. https://pulsstrom.com/c/31c291
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