The first film about Australian megachurch group Hillsong United will hit theaters in September. Michael John Warren, who directed 'Hillsong — Let Hope Rise,' says working with the group has made him a better person, even though he's not a believer.
The film chronicles the journey of Hillsong United, which began in Sydney in 1998 as a pastime for youth at church, and has since grown into a group with global reach. It's led by Joel Houston, the son of Hillsong founders and pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston, and all 11 band members are either volunteers or employees of the church.
"Their mission — without exaggeration — is to make music to save souls. They are trying to get people to discover Jesus," Warren, who has worked with Jay Z and Nicki Minaj, among other stars, said in a statement on the film's website. "That's probably the most righteous reason to make music. Whether you're religious or not, it's hard to look at that and not feel good about it."
"I'm not a religious person," he added, "but I learned things from working with and becoming friends with the members of Hillsong United. They are lovely people. They are sincerely giving. They are sincerely supportive. I don't believe the same things they believe, but I'm learning from them and I'm taking lessons from them, and I believe I've become a better person having spent a year studying them."
In January, Warner Bros. abruptly pulled the film from its distribution and Relativity Studios will now distribute the project. The film is now slated for release on Sept. 30.
Hillsong, which is headquartered in Sydney, has churches around the world with more than 100,000 weekly attendees, including thriving congregations in New York and Los Angeles. An estimated 50 million people sing their songs every Sunday.
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