New Film On Bush's Faith Will Withstand Criticism, Director Says
by Chad Groening and Jenni Parker
September 27, 2004
(AgapePress) - The director of a documentary that delves into the faith of George W. Bush believes the new video is an inspirational alternative to filmmaker Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11.David Balsiger helped produce the popular NBC-TV series "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams" (1977-1978). Now that show's eponymous production company, Grizzly Adams Productions, has released a new documentary, hosted by Janet Parshall, titled George Bush: Faith in the White House.
Balsiger is the veteran producer of more than 500 family-friendly TV programs, and has also been involved as a writer, researcher, or filmmaker on several of what he calls "critic-proponent" shows. He feels "Faith in the White House" provides a striking contrast to the recent anti-Bush documentary by Michael Moore.
"There's quite a bit of difference between the two shows," the filmmaker says, adding, "Fahrenheit 911 was not done well, production-wise. It would never meet television standards for broadcast on a major network, and it never had any opposing viewpoints in it. It was a totally biased documentary."
Faith in the White House is different, Balsiger contends, because it makes use of both pro-Bush and anti-Bush sources, including "three books" and "also our own independent research" to verify the film's assertions. "We did not go to George Bush, the White House, the Bush-Cheney campaign, nor the Bush administration to get their blessing," he says. The resultant lack of bias in its creation lends this new documentary on Bush an integrity that the producer suggests the controversial Michael Moore film, Fahrenheit 9/11, lacks.
However, Balsiger's own reputation as filmmaker has not been without controversy. His filmography includes a writing credit on the TV-documentary "In Search of Noah's Ark" (1976) as well as directing credits on the 1997 "Ancient Secrets of the Bible" videos, "Ark of the Covenant -- Lost or Hidden Away?" and "Noah's Ark -- Was There a Worldwide Flood?" and he has done research for programs on several hotly debated subjects, both ancient and modern. But although some critics, both secular and Christian, have questioned his reliability as a researcher, Balsiger has generally dismissed these attacks as attempts by humanist groups and the secular media to discredit him and advance an anti-biblical agenda.
In any event, the producer-director believes Faith in the White House will stand up under even the most skeptical scrutiny. "In this particular show," he says, "we have 18 proponent interviewees who have had an experience with Bush on a faith-based level, and we have 10 critics of the president's faith. So it's a balanced perspective on him."
Balsiger says that sort of balance is what is required if a film is going to air on a major secular network. It is also the reason why, he says, "This show will be evergreen for probably 10 or 20 years, where Fahrenheit 9/11, which was really an election hit piece, will be dead after the election."
George Bush: Faith in the White House is available from Grizzly Adams Productions in VHS video as well as DVD format. The DVD contains a number of additional bonus features.
