PRESS KIT:
The Finger of God: The Life & Times of Bill Carrigan
"We seek the easy path, even in being good. It is so much easier to gain a reputation for being good by telling others how, than it is by showing them how. Such reputation as is gained by the first method only influences one generation, while a reputation gained by showing how will influence many generations. Isn’t it true? Wouldn’t it be something if we could really become what we would like to be?"
- William M. Carrigan, 1902-2000
What if one friendship could change the faith of generations?
Trailer
Runtime: 1 hr 44 min Resolution: 4K UHD
About the Film:
The Finger of God: The Life and Times of Bill Carrigan is a documentary feature that takes the viewer through the near century-long life of William M. Carrigan, an American businessman, philanthropist, WWII relief worker, and faithful Catholic.
The film follows Bill from his early life on the Iowa prairie to the deserts of North Africa and the villages of Italy, where he worked as a Red Cross Field Director in 1943 and was forever changed by his encounter with a miracle and his friendship with a mysterious Catholic priest, Padre Pio.
Bill's love for Padre Pio compelled him to bring hundreds of GIs to a remote mountain monastery for peace and healing and changed his post-war destiny.
This film is a sensitive and colorful account of the ripple effect that one life directed by Providence can have on generations.
Characters
At the age of fifteen, Bill runs away to South Dakota to be a cowboy and a rancher. As a young adult, he lives a nomadic life as a young adult, working his way across the U.S.
After serving in North Africa, he is sent to Italy at Christmastime of 1943. There he spends the next two years working to improve the quality of life of American GIs and makes a friendship that directs the course of his life.
A Capuchin friar in a remote Italian monastery, renowned by locals for his sanctity and for reportedly bearing the wounds of Christ, Padre Pio remains mostly hidden from the English-speaking world until two GIs who know Mr. Carrigan stumble across a village neighboring his monastery while searching for eggs to feed the arriving allied troops. Devout Catholics, they enlist Mr. Carrigan’s help in traveling to the monastery for Padre Pio’s Mass, sparking a chain of events that leads to a dynamic friendship between the two men and changes the course of Bill’s life forever.
Born Ramona Jane Newman in 1903, Bill’s eventual beloved wife spends her early life as an east coast socialite. An active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a classically-trained soprano, and the daughter of a Delaware politician, Ramona is ladylike and, like Bill, a devout Catholic.
Chuck Furr (1938–)
Chuck is born on a farm in Minnesota in 1938 to Bill’s younger sister, Marie, and her husband, Everett, as one of their eleven children. Living so far from D.C., the Furr children know their Uncle Bill and Aunt Ramona only through letters. When Marie is tragically killed in an accidental fire when Chuck is eleven years old, Chuck meets Bill in person - and learns of the mysterious Padre Pio in Italy - for the first time.
Chuck’s relationship with Uncle Bill, as well as their mutual devotion to Padre Pio, spans the next five decades and continues to impact Chuck’s life and mission more than twenty years after Bill’s death.
The Finger of God
The Finger of God is the silent character that shapes the film. The guiding Hand of Divine Providence is the loving, omnipotent, and creative Force that directs Bill’s life and the lives of those around him over the course of generations.
Artistic Approach
The artistic approach of the film intertwines a rich tapestry of archival materials with the vibrant authenticity of interviews of subjects who still hold Bill in living memory, creating a dynamic and immersive storytelling experience.
We meticulously curate hundreds of letters, decades of photographs, and Bill's own recorded memories digitized from cassette tapes, weaving them seamlessly into the narrative fabric to provide a captivating emotional and historic arc to Bill and Padre Pio's life-changing friendship.
Throughout the film, professionally-trained voice actors read thematically selected sections of Bill and Ramona's poetic World War II letters. Complementing these archival treasures are sections of evocative, experimental 2D animation that provide visual support and bring a sense of life and color to the film.
Team
Makena Duffy
Director, Producer, Photography, Animation & Editing
Makena Duffy is a documentary director and editor from O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. She studied Digital Cinema and Communicology at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa and enjoys how documentary film allows her to marry her love for getting to know new people and teasing out a good story with opportunities to learn about the world and grow artistically. This is her first documentary feature. You can find out more about her work at www.makenaduffy.com
“Bill, Ramona, and Padre Pio have been close companions of mine for over three years now. Since meeting Bill’s nephew, Chuck, I have spent innumerable hours transcribing hundreds of pages of letters, repairing and digitizing cassette tapes, archiving countless photographs, and tracking down and interviewing those who knew Bill during his lifetime. I am delighted to now present his story to others. Bill’s life only overlapped mine by a few short years and we never met in person, but I’ve grown to think of him as an intimate friend - it’s hard to not feel close to someone when you’ve read all of their mail! I’ve certainly felt the Finger of God directing my own life as I’ve worked on this project and hope viewers will take away from Bill’s story a greater sense of the reality of the communion of saints and the work of Providence.”
Ava R. Montes
Producer & Story
Ava is a teacher, writer, artist, and graduate of the Franciscan University of Steubenville where she studied English Writing. She is currently obtaining her M.A. in Theological Studies from Franciscan. She lives on Florida’s Space Coast, where she enjoys the aesthetic combination of stars, sky, and sea. She spends her free time collecting blank notebooks and catering to her needy old cat, Beenzo. Ava is currently writing a biography on William Carrigan. You can find out more about her work at avamonteswriter.com
“When I first got involved with Bill Carrigan’s story, I thought it would be a college summer project. Little did I know it would become one of the most interesting endeavors I’d ever undertaken. Over the last few years of researching, interviewing, writing, and editing, the project stretched me and put me in positions I never thought I’d hold (film co-producer? Come on, that’s pretty cool). Many aspects of Bill’s life are compelling, but my favorite is his unwavering dedication to personal virtue even in the midst of great international or cultural evils. His life, presented in this documentary, stands as a testament to what God can do with a person who is attentive to Him. I sincerely hope you come to know Bill and Ramona as old friends, as I have. Enjoy!”
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What prompted you to create the film?
A: "I first met Chuck while still in film school at a volunteer reception. Originally the project was meant to be just a ten-minute short to preserve the story for his family, and after I recorded the initial interview, I didn't touch the project again for close to a year while I worked on school commitments. Later, Chuck expressed a wish to have a book written on Bill Carrigan, and I recruited Ava to the project. Together, we found more and more material that Chuck had in storage, and I realized we had a much bigger project and story on our hands than we had ever anticipated. Shortly after, I decided to make the film a feature." (Makena)
Q: How long did the production take?
A: "Working off and on the project through different stages, the film was completed right around the fourth anniversary of my being introduced to Chuck." (Makena)
Q: What kind of camera did you use to make the film?
A: "I shoot on Panasonic MFT. I have a GH5 that I use for my main camera and a trusty GX85 that I've had since college that I use for second angles and for stills." (Makena)
Q: Where can I watch the film?
A: "Check out our website in the links section below! The film is currently password-protected, and we have a contact form where you can request screening access. We are aiming for a wider online release in the later half of 2024."
Q: Can my church/school/young adult ministry/club/etc., host a screening?
A: "Absolutely! Get in touch via the contact form on our website and let us know your request." (Makena)
Q: Where can I learn more about the book version?
A: "I'm currently seeking a publisher! Check out my website in the link section below for updates on the written biography of William Carrigan." (Ava)
Q: Where can I read more of Bill and Ramona's letters?
A: "We curated a selection of ten of the letters exchanged between Bill and his wife and have them available on our website alongside transcripts. The letters give insight into their relationship, Bill's encounters with Padre Pio, and what wartime life was like for the Carrigans." (Ava & Makena)
Q: Is there bonus content hidden on your website?
A: "Yes! We're big fans of Easter eggs - there are multiple bonus sections hidden around our website, including a deleted scene, and additional one of Bill's favorite letters from Ramona in full, a blooper reel, and an art gallery. All of these can be found if you follow the clues and click around." (Makena)
Links
Visit our website:
To request preview screening access:
Learn more about the book:
Check us out on Instagram!
A film by Makena Duffy