The real premiere of "Little Boy," a movie starring Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson, Kevin James and Jakob Salvati about a devoted 7-year-old whose father goes missing in World War II, had no red carpets.
In fact, no floors.
There were no fancy limos. No plush seating. No paparazzi. No autograph hounds.
If you look carefully, there's no real theater, because it wasn't in the hundreds of soft seat-filled, sound system-enhanced halls that showed the movie starting Friday night.
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It was, through a special program assembled by two nonprofit groups, shown for children of displaced Iraqi families who have been fleeing ISIS terror.
In a refugee camp. Atop Mount Sinjar. That's Iraq.
"These resilient children are using their newfound hope inspired by 'Little Boy' to display to the world that light will radiate and breakthrough darkness," said Jacqueline Isaac, vice president of Roads of Success.
"We thank 'Little Boy' for supporting the children as they dream of becoming tomorrow's leaders and world shakers."
The screenings for the Iraqi children were sponsored by the film, Roads to Success, which is a Los Angeles based organization, and Movie to Movement, a nonprofit that uses film to promote social change.
The movie was accompanied by the giveaway of blankets, clothing, toys and more that had been donated by Southern California communities.
See a video:
"I was blown away to see the reaction of these children," noted "Little Boy" producer Eduardo Verastegui, who plays the role of a priest in the film.
"Our story is a fantasy, an adult fairy tale, but they are living out the reality of war in their daily lives. I'm thrilled to know that our film inspired them as they have inspired me," he said.
Just this week, WND had revealed in advance of its showings an exclusive clip from the movie, where "Little Boy" awakens to the power of faith.
Sitting in church, he hears the priest talking about the faith that Moses had when he parted the Red Sea.
"The kind of faith that little David had when he defeated Goliath with the little stone," the priest continues. "That's what we need my friends in these difficult times. So like Father Oliver used to ask what can we do. What can we do for our relatives at war. What can we do if we are here, and they are there.
"And the answer is," he continues. "If we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move a mountain. If we can move a mountain, then nothing will be impossible for us. Not even ending this war and having our loved ones back."
See the exclusive clip:
Jason Jones, of Movie to Movement, said of the Iraqi screenings, "We saw that moviegoers were hungry for powerful stories that explored the incomparable depth and beauty of the human person. 'Little Boy' is that kind of story. It doesn't flinch from the reality of evil – from brute facts like racism, bullying, and the cruelties of war. 'Little Boy' inspired hope among children in the midst of war across our globe."
The Iraqi-Kurdistan Regional Government in power there in Iraq thanked the filmmakers by dispatching renown artist Zuhdi Sardar to the film's premier in Los Angeles.
"The 'Little Boy' film empowered children with a new-found purpose of becoming tomorrow's heroes. 'Little Boy' has used the tool of Hollywood to inspire children facing one of the world's hardest crises," he said.
In the movie, the priest gives the boy a list of tasks – to feed the poor, visit the sick and even befriend a Japanese immigrant in the heated days of World War II.
"We wanted to make a movie that captured the soul and heart of America, to show America to the whole world. And that's 'Little Boy,'" Verástegui earlier told WND. "When I read the script written by Monteverde and Pepe Portillo, I was so moved and so touched, I cried. … I just hope people will be touched and moved the way I was."
Verástegui, son of a sugar cane farmer, left his tiny, Mexican village in 1992 at the age of 18 to chase a dream in the entertainment industry.
He soon became fantastically successful.
But after being caught up in a whirlwind career as an international singing sensation and soap opera star – working alongside Jennifer Lopez, playing Mr. Right on the TV show "Charmed" and being named among the world's "most beautiful people" – Verástegui realized the allure of fame had compromised his values. He had betrayed a promise he made to his parents to portray Latino men of character and faith.
In 2004, Verástegui turned away from the fame to launch a production company he told WND had one goal: "To produce films that will have the potential to not only entertain, but also to make a difference in people's lives."
After years of turning down job offers and watching his career wither, Verástegui teamed up with director Alejandro Monteverde to produce what the former called "the first fruit of that dream," the award-winning and profoundly pro-life masterpiece "Bella."
It's the newest project from Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, who also produced "Son of God," "The Bible," and "A.D. The Bible Continues," among others.
In "Little Boy," Verástegui says, American audiences will once again be inspired by the power of a story to believe and do great things, calling the movie "a fairy tale for adults through the eyes of a child."
WND Editor Joseph Farah had the opportunity to sit down with that child, "Little Boy" actor Jakob Salvati, to talk about the life-changing power and universal appeal of the film:
"Our films, 'Bella' and 'Little Boy,' are made for everyone," Verástegui told WND. "Who is going to be against a little boy who is going to do whatever it takes to bring his dad back from World War II, because he loves him so much he wants to save his dad, and he's going to do it through a list with actions that are universal – feed the poor, visit those who are sick and in prison? Hopefully at the end, it will bring people together and especially young people, who have a tendency to imitate what they see on movies and television. Hopefully they will imitate the little boy's list. I guarantee that people who do the list, after seeing 'Little Boy,' will make this world a better place.
"That's the goal," Verástegui said. "To make a movie that can not only entertain whole families, but also inspire them to do great things with their life like 'Little Boy' did in his hometown."
Watch the trailer for "Little Boy":
Visit the "Little Boy" website for more details about the film.
Check out the WND Superstore's selection of inspiring films, including "Bella," on DVD now!