The Bridge (2006 drama)

Infobox Film
name = The Bridge


caption = The first feature length film about Scientology
director = Brett Hanover
writer = Brett Hanover
producer = Tom Padgett
starring = Carole Smith Bill Baker Tom Padgett
music =
cinematography =
editing =
distributor = free-media online release
released = September 10, 2006
runtime = 69 minutes
country = U.S.
language = English
budget = USD$10,000
website = http://www.bretthanover.com/
amg_id = 1:376768
imdb_id = 0907842

"The Bridge" is a 69-minute low-budget feature film, directed by filmmaker Brett Hanover. [ [http://allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:376768 The Bridge] , "Allmovie", Category: Feature., retrieved 3/7/07.]

A fictional story of involvement and disillusionment with Scientology, the film explicitly uses Scientology terms throughout, as well as including clips from actual Scientology promotional and training videos. It was released as a free download over the Internet on September 10, 2006 by the filmmaker.Film Credits: "The Bridge' is licensed as royalty-free digital media, and may be distributed online for personal viewing without permission. All offline distribution rights are reserved by Brett Hanover."]

The brochure of the "Indie Memphis" film festival stated that "The Bridge" was the "first feature film" about the Church Of Scientology. [http://www.indiememphis.com/2006-Festival-Film-Synopses.pdf Film Synopses] , Indie Memphis, "Soul of Southern Film Festival, October 13-19, 2006.] While it is set against the background of the Church of Scientology and the Sea Org, the characters and situations depicted are fictional.

Plot

The film begins with a prologue in which Sea Org officer Ronnie Miscavige describes the planetary Scientology dissemination campaign. After the title sequence, Scientologist Diane Wheat (Carole Smith) is seen in an auditing session with the head of her local church, Robert Solomon (Bill Baker). Diane describes her trouble with finances and having her car repossessed. The next day Robert has Diane model her financial difficulties in clay. She is worried that her other financial obligations keep her from moving up Scientology's Bridge to Total Freedom. Robert tells her that she can work at the church in exchange for services to move up the Bridge.

Parallel to these events, Richard Grey (Tom Padgett) is trying to contact his daughter Amy at the Flag Land Base in Clearwater. Church employees refuse to allow him to speak to her because, unknown to him, he has been declared a suppressive person. He arrives at the local church on Saturday seeking more information. Diane, who is working as a receptionist, hands him a copy of the ethics order declaring him a suppressive person, and he leaves.

The next day, Diane is working at the church again when two teenage girls arrive. The girls have seen the "South Park" episode "Trapped in the Closet" and want to attend a service for their own amusement. Diane tells them that the church does not have Sunday services, and shows them a promotional film for "" instead. At home, Richard is reading the Operation Clambake and Lermanet.com web sites when he receives a panicked instant message from a friend. The friend tells him to watch a news report from Clearwater, and he learns that Amy has died after falling from the Fort Harrison Hotel. Shortly afterward, Robert calls Richard and informs him that he may not attend the funeral because Amy and her mother have disconnected from him.

At a celebration of L. Ron Hubbard's birthday, Robert announces that Diane has attained the state of Clear and gives her a Clear bracelet. After the celebration, he takes the bracelet away and shows her a film that encourages her to continue on the Bridge by taking the Operating Thetan courses at Flag. Late in the night, while she is cleaning, a distraught Richard comes by and asks if he can talk to anyone about being allowed into the funeral service. She refuses, but Richard insists on dropping off some old Scientology books and tapes that used to belong to Amy.

In the final act, protestors are seen outside the church loudly picketing over the death of Amy. When Diane walks out to confront them, they ask her to step outside the church gate and proceed to tell her the story of Xenu and the Wall of Fire from Operating Thetan level 3 (OT III). Robert notices Diane outside the church, tells her to go back inside, and threatens the protestors, but not before they have finished telling her the story. Once Diane is back inside, Robert runs her on a security check to determine whether she has any doubts or ill will toward Scientology.

Richard calls Amy's mother, who is still in Scientology, and asks to be allowed at the funeral. She refuses and ends the call to avoid being sent to ethics. In the evening, Robert reminds Diane of the need to continue up the Bridge, and mentions the Wall of Fire at OT III. That night, disillusioned, Diane walks out the door of the church and leaves Scientology. The film ends with a written dedication: "For all who speak out - for those who have been silenced."

Production

Former Scientologists were involved in the production of the film. [http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A20388 Festival Highlights] , "Memphis Flyer", Flyer Staff, October 12, 2006. The Bridge, Hometowner Feature, Monday, October 16th, 8:45 p.m.] The movie utilized some clips from the Scientology-produced video, "How to Use Dianetics: A Visual Guidebook to the Human Mind", [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0907842/ The Bridge (2006/III)] , Internet Movie Database, 2007, Internet Movie Database Inc.] as well as archival footage of Ronnie Miscavige, brother of Church chairman David Miscavige.

The film was shot over a five-day period at a hotel in Memphis, in order to avoid what the production team thought could be potential interference from Scientologists. The film was shot in Black-and-white, but makes use of color to highlight certain objects or themes.

Distribution

"The Bridge" premièred at Operation Clambake 10 year anniversary in Norway on September 2, 2006, [ [http://www.xenu.net/archive/events/10yranniversary/ Operation Clambake 10 year anniversary] ] and was shown at the 9th annual Indie Memphis Film Festival, in October 2006:

The venue allowed Brett Hanover, an 18-year-old college student studying film, to screen a new movie he's produced about the Church of Scientology called "The Bridge." This year will be his second time participating in the festival.
"It's definitely the hometown festival," he said. "In a way, it's sort of limiting as far as what gets seen, but for me and other local filmmakers it's an extremely important resource for getting your films out there and serving as a springboard to go elsewhere." [ [http://www.memphisdailynews.com/Editorial/StoryLead.aspx?id=94410 Annual indie festival strives to set itself apart] , "The Daily News", Memphis, Tennessee, Andy Meek, Vol. 121, No. 191, September 28, 2006.]

The film was shown on October 16, 2006 as a feature presentation. [ [http://indiememphis.com/2006-Film-Schedule.pdf 2006 Film Schedule] , Indie Memphis, "Soul of Southern Film Festival, October 13-19, 2006.]

The film was initially released as a free download over the Internet in September 2006. The film credits stated: "The Bridge' is licensed as royalty-free digital media, and may be distributed online for personal viewing without permission. All offline distribution rights are reserved by Brett Hanover."

Within a few weeks of its release, Hanover removed "The Bridge" from its public distribution sites. He stated on his website, that "due to copyright issues, I ask that this film be withdrawn from circulation... Do not contact me concerning this film, I am no longer supporting it". The removal was reported by Jeannette Walls,cite news
last = Walls
first = Jeannette
title = The Scoop
work = MSNBC
publisher = NBC
date = October 30, 2006
url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15066202/
accessdate = ] in an MSNBC gossip column.

Hanover's web site no longer contains any reference to the film. [ [http://www.bretthanover.com/ bretthanover.com] , Main page., retrieved 2007-03-07.]

Cast

ee also

*The Bridge to Total Freedom
*Scientology in popular culture
*Scieno Sitter

References

External links

*
* [http://www.bretthanover.com/ Brett Hanover official website]
* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15066202/ "The Scoop"] , Jeanette Walls, Oct 30, 2006.
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2196573959887248236&hl=en The Bridge Movie] , the film at Google Video.