Mack Wolford

They call it religion. It's been branded a cult. The lethal handling of serpents. In the name of God. Immolation, speaking in tongues, ecstasy, self injury and the dangerous snakes. The bible belt of the very South. Backyard churches. In West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Appalachia.

AMERICAN JESUS is an exploration of Christianity in every faction of American Life, from the breadline to the yoga studio, from the humble churches of snake handlers to the mega churches in the ex-urbs. Christian cowboys, bikers and musicians, comedians, surfers and cage-fighters, they are all doing it for Christ. Aram Garriga travels from his native Barcelona to the politically divided United States to chronicle the sometimes bizarre relationship between faith, materialism, politics and personal passions in this uniquely American tableaux. Populated by an array of religious and secular characters offering candid, often illuminating testimonials, AMERICAN JESUS is a vivid mosaic of personalities and conflicting points of view that emerges as a portrait of an America yearning for solace and meaning in the modern world.

In southern West Virginia, Pastor Mack Wolford leads one of the few remaining snake handling churches in the United States. His family is deeply tied to the faith. Mack was a child when he lost his father to a rattlesnake bite during a church service. This 15 minute documentary takes an atmospheric storytelling approach to illustrate the faith, beauty and sacrifice of Pastor Wolford's beliefs. The preacher is fully aware of the dangers of handling venomous snakes. He and his family are willing to stake their lives on their faith.

In the hills of Appalachia, Pentecostal pastors Jamie Coots and Andrew Hamblin struggle to keep an over-100-year-old tradition alive: the practice of handling deadly snakes in church. Jamie and Andrew believe in a bible passage that suggests a poisonous snakebite will not harm them as long as they are anointed by God's power. If they don't practice the ritual of snake handling, they believe they are destined for hell. The pastors must frequently battle the law, a disapproving society, and even at times their own families to keep their way of life alive.