The Shift
The Shift is a 2023 feature film directed by Brock Heasley and starring Kristoffer Polaha, Neal McDonough, Sean Astin, Elizabeth Tabish, and Jason Marsden.
The plot for the science fiction / action film is based on Heasley's 2017 short, also called "The Shift", about a man confronting an adversary who sends him into a tyrannical parallel world on order to rejoin the woman he loves. It is reportedly based on the biblical story of Job. Ken Carpenter of Nook Lane Entertainment produced the film in association with Dallas Jenkins of Angel Studios, which raised $1.7 million for production through a crowdfunding campaign. Jenkins, best known as creator of "The Chosen" based on the life of Jesus, has described the film as, "a project in which truth is dominant and God is present."
The Shift was originally scheduled to be filmed in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Location shooting took place in Birmingham between January 30 and March 4, 2023. Specific locations included downtown Bessemer, 23rd Street North, Sloss Furnaces, Adios, Wine Loft, and the Colored Masonic Temple.
The film premiered during the 168 Film Festival in Fayetteville, Gerogia on November 3, 2023. It was released to theaters on December 1 and took in just over $4 million over its first weekend.
References
- Blakely, Will (February 2, 2023) "Filming of Christian science fiction movie retelling the book of Job underway in Birmingham." 1819 News
- "The Shift Makes Cast Announcement and Begins Filming." (February 23, 2023) Angel Studios press release
- Lewallen, Ayron (March 2, 2023) "Film producer says unexpected move to Birmingham exceeded his expectations." WVTM13.com
- Morrison, Callie (March 3, 2023) "The Shift movie filming in Birmingham." Bham Now