1091 Media, formerly known as The Orchard, has taken North American rights to “We Believe in Dinosaurs,” a documentary about creationism and America’s troubled relationship with science.
The film from Clayton Brown and Monica Long Ross will be released in North America on video on demand in the fall.
Shot over the course of four years, the film follows the construction and controversy surrounding a religious museum called The Ark Encounter in rural Kentucky — built for the express purpose of proving that the Bible is historically and scientifically accurate.
The film is seen through the eyes of three Kentuckians: Doug, a gifted artist who creates lifelike animals for the museum; Dan, a geologist and impassioned pro-science activist who blows the whistle on the Ark Encounter’s discriminatory hiring practices; and David, a young former creationist who mowed lawns to raise money for creationist causes in his youth.
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In a statement, the directors said their aim was “to spark an important dialogue about the thorny intersection of belief, religion, and science — crossing into the cultural bubbles where so many Americans seem to exist.”
They added: “We hope that the film can shine a light on the important science and religion conflicts that we face today, including the increasing incidents of science denial, and what the erosion of the separation of church and state means for America, as well as across the world.”
The doc recently world premiered in the Launch program at the San Francisco Intl. Film Festival, and will next screen at the AFI Docs Film Festival in June.
The deal was brokered by CAA Media Finance and 1091 Media. Amy Ellison produced the film for 137 Films.