UNTAMED produces human-centered and emotionally true international documentaries. They pursue stories of spiritual and narrative depth, with a bias for risk and redemption.
This current series of six films is the first of more to come, with a next iteration of films currently in production. The next films include stories from Jewish and Muslim scholars, as well as a feature documentary shot in Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa.
After a degree in philosophy and graduate studies in theology and psychology, Sean’s first frames shot were in 2000. Armed with a first-generation digital film camera and a plane ticket, he flew to Sudanese refugee camps in Northern Uganda to explore indigenous forms of music among the survivors of one of the longest civil wars in human history.
Sean went on to build a career in international NGO work, partnering with rural communities in post-genocide reconstruction; the economic development of landless farmers across Central America; the rehabilitation of child soldiers in Uganda; and fighting malaria across East Africa.
His program advocacy campaigns have impacted millions, using film and photography to tell stories of resiliency, hope, and healing from trauma.
Sean is an avid sailor, and lives in Seattle, WA.
John’s films have screened in the world’s most prestigious film festivals and won numerous awards, including an Oscar Nomination (KAVI, Best Live-Action Short Film Nominee, 2010) two Student Academy Awards, and jury prizes from SXSW and Tribeca Film Festival.
In 2002 he saw James Longley’s documentary GAZA STRIP and was moved by its remarkable combination of beautiful images and deeply human moments. Since then, his work has been strongly influenced by other great vérité filmmakers, especially the camerawork and filmmaking philosophy of Albert Maysles.
He is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Film Production Program (MFA) and lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and three children.
An academic entrepreneur with four degrees in theology, as well as an early career working as a marketing manager for a Fortune 500 company, Christopher R. Brewer (PhD, St And) has gone on to work in nonprofit and philanthropic worlds, most recently as a program officer for Templeton Religion Trust where he led the Art Seeking Understanding grantmaking initiative while developing a new initiative exploring the conditions of possibility for progress in theology. The “At the Threshold” film series grew out of the latter, and was developed collaboratively with UNTAMED. The editor or co-editor of seven volumes (with three more in the works), Christopher is close to finishing his first book: Understanding Natural Theology (Zondervan Academic). An enthusiastic gardener and art collector, Christopher now serves as Principal Advisor to Templeton Religion Trust, and lives in Grand Rapids, MI with his wife Rachel, their two boys, John and Samuel, and a black standard poodle named Charley.
PRODUCERS: Sean Dimond & John Harrison
DIRECTOR: Sean Dimond
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Christopher R. Brewer
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Johnny Valencia
Johnny contributed cinematography to Terence Malick’s upcoming film, WAY OF THE WIND, and music videos for artists including Ed Sheeran, Macklemore, and Imagine Dragons.
EDITED BY: John Harrison & Sebastian Jones
Sebastian served as editor for several of Terrence Malick recent films, including SONG TO SONG, and A HIDDEN LIFE.
MOTION GRAPHICS: Deven James Langston
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Liralen Isaac
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This series was made possible by a grant from the Templeton Religion Trust.
Templeton Religion Trust (TRT) is a global charitable trust chartered by Sir John Templeton in 1984 with headquarters in Nassau, The Bahamas. TRT has been active since 2012 and supports projects as well as storytelling related to projects seeking to enrich the conversation about religion. TRT’s aim is to improve the well-being of individuals and societies through spiritual growth and an ever-improving understanding of spiritual realities and spiritual information. |