I am always excited when I discover artists who use their medium well for the glory of God. It’s so easy to do poor Christian art with a good (even biblical) message and assume it’s thus good art. I can’t tell you how many bad Christian bands or movies I have witnessed in the past. So when I find an artist that combines a biblical message with good art, I tend to eat it up.
Recently, I came across a short film titled The Candy Shop, which was released by Whitestone Motion Pictures about a few months ago. The movie is clear about its message – it’s subtitle tells that it is a parable/fairytale about child sex trafficking. But what intrigued me was the way they went about bringing awareness to the trafficking industry – with great imagery and storytelling. The film is dark and insidious, but has absolutely no explicit content – so it is appropriate for older children. As a whole, the movie is artistically well made and the filmography is wonderfully done. I wish there was stronger acting on a couple of scenes, but for the most part it was well acted. The end result is a powerful picture of the subversive nature of the sexual trafficking industry, and the lure it has on young boys.
The film is only 30 minutes – so I’d encourage you to watch it and tell others about it. Child sex trafficking is a much more prevalent issue than we’d like to think – even here in America. I’ve only recently begun to become aware of the impact it has upon our city here in Dallas. I’m encouraged that believers are using the areas God has gifted them in to bring this injustice to light.
The Candy Shop from Whitestone Motion Pictures on Vimeo.
You can learn more about the project and movement behind the film here: www.stopthecandyshop.com.