'God's Army' marches into Mexico, giving Dutcher another LDS first

Filmmaker Richard Dutcher is used to breaking new ground. His "God's Army," a story of Mormon missionaries, released in 2000, is credited with opening the doors for commercial LDS filmmaking.

So, it is fitting that he — and the film — are again achieving a first. When "God's Army" opened in Mexico City on Jan. 31, dubbed in Spanish, it became the first LDS film to play internationally in a different language.

"This is a breakthrough moment for Mormon cinema," said Dean Hale, vice president of motion-picture distribution for Excel Entertainment, which is co-ordinating the Mexico release. "We had to fight to get this film in Mexican theaters — it's been an uphill battle."

Hale said that because the film had already been dubbed in Spanish — as opposed to being subtitled — and because Excel was a new distributor to the Mexican market, "regulatory forces in the Mexican government had us jump through a lot of hoops."

Dutcher added that "there are a lot of LDS people in Mexico, so we're hoping it takes off."

For Dutcher, it is particularly satisfying to have the film shown there; he served an LDS mission in Veracruz from 1984-86, and parts of the film were based on his own experiences.

Even more than that, Dutcher hopes the film "will have the same effect there as here, that it will inspire Latin LDS filmmakers to tell their own stories from their own point of view, and share that point of view with the world."

That, said Dutcher, is really what it's all about. "LDS filmmaking is still in its infancy. It will take years to reach the level we're all hoping and wanting. What we're seeing now are a lot of first attempts, and they are being judged harshly compared to what's out there. But I want to see the third and fourth attempt."

Or, the 20th, or the 100th. Because, he said, "we'll keep moving forward. It's the only direction to go."

"God's Army," he said, "was a new concept, a new idea. And we did meet resistance." Sometimes he gets a little tired of defending his work to those "who see it purely as entertainment, who see no artistic value in film." But he's also convinced that if "you tell an honest story, you'll break down resistance."

Dutcher is currently working on his first big-budget film, a story of Joseph Smith called "The Prophet." "It's a big project," he said, "and the economy has been fighting us. But we're pushing forward. I'm hoping it won't be my 'Gangs of New York,' and take 25 years to get to the screen."