Based on Williams’ 2010 hit play, The Revival is a treacherous love story between a closeted preacher and a handsome drifter who shows up at his church.
When Eli (Rysdahl) begins preaching at his father’s old church, he is desperate to open the minds of the fire-and-brimstone congregation. His plans are quickly derailed when he strikes up a relationship with fascinating drifter Daniel (Booth). Tensions soon come to a head, with simmering resentments and repressed emotions all leading to a revival that will shake this sleepy Arkansas town to its core.
After The Revival’s stage run in 2010, The Advocate declared “if there is a God, [The Revival] will be made into a movie!” Zachary Booth and David Rysdahl give electric performances as their undeniable attraction endangers them both in the face of religion. The two were awarded a Special Mention by the jury at NewFest for their “outstanding performances” and The Hollywood Reporter called them “riveting”. Ira Sachs said “It came to me half way through that it was an Ingmar Bergman movie set in the Ozarks.” He also described the film as “true Southern Gothic”. Following the film’s sold out Outfest Premiere, The Hollywood Reporter wrote “Gerber deftly wrings suspense from source material that mixes, and sometimes swerves between, romance, satire and vigilante thriller.”
