Film to Premiere featuring Visionary Catholic Artist & Priest

  LOS ANGELES, CA - 10/12/2016 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

"The Boy Who Found Gold" a new feature length documentary film about world renowned artist and Roman Catholic priest William Hart McNichols, has been chosen as the closing night film of the social justice themed Pembroke Taparelli Arts and Film Festival, to be held in Los Angeles on November 4th.  Directed by award-winning filmmaker Christopher Summa and filmed across the American Southwest, it documents the untold artist journey of McNichols, from the early days of the AIDS crisis all the way to his creative renaissance in the desert of New Mexico where he mastered the ancient art of iconography and remains today.  To capture the experience of his prolific body of work Christopher Summa says, "I made the conscious decision as a filmmaker that I would stick solely to McNichols' voice and truth, my conviction being his prayers and stories had enough gunpowder in them to carry the entire film. The courage of his heart and the artistic gifts that are shared represent to me a historic document of both humanity and faith, one rooted in perseverance.  I knew in my soul this was the film that needed to be made, something bare and singular, like an icon."

Best-selling author Fr. James Martin, SJ (Jesus: A Pilgrimage) saw an advanced screening and has commented on the film as "A heartfelt look at one of the great Christian artists of our age."

In addition to showcasing his work as an artist, "The Boy Who Found Gold" also documents McNichols speaking out, as early as 1983, for LGBT rights within the church.  Most notably McNichols is featured on ABC World News speaking out for the church to have greater mercy and compassion for HIV/AIDS patients. His voice from thirty years ago, echoes the modern day words of Pope Francis, who famously said "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?"

The sacred art focused on in the film are McNichols icons which encompass an eclectic group. They include many Catholic and non-Catholic martyrs.  He includes Muslim, Buddhist, and Native-American martyrs. As an iconography McNichols uncovers many unsung heroes who've fought for the rights of people and were killed for it: like A.T. Thomas, a Jesuit priest from India who was beheaded.  In Africa he captures the life and death of Daughter of Wisdom Sister Mary Aintonette who was beaten to death and thrown into the Congo river.  They span the centuries from the very first martyr St. Stephen, who was stoned to death, to the first casualty of September 11th Father Mychal Judge, who died after being hit by a falling body.  Having known McNichols since 1998 and being the fifth filmmaker to approach him about doing a film, Christopher Summa says, "As a filmmaker I wanted to present these icons in the way Father McNichols has shared them with me, not detached, not journalism but with an emotional poetry to do justice to the person in the icon."

World Premiere of the "The Boy Who Found Gold" November 4, 2016 at 8pm at the Inaugural Pembroke Taparelli Arts and Film Festival, ?the screening will be followed by a Q & A with filmmaker Christopher Summa.  Raleigh Studios Chaplin Theater Hollywood 5300 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, California 91364.  Film's running time: 108 minutes - unrated.  For tickets and more information: http://theboywhofoundgold.com/