The Inspiring True Story Behind the New Movie 'One Last Prayer'
There’s a prayer for every situation,” Will says to David when he finds out that his daughter's cancer has returned. As the lead character in the new faith-based movie One Last Prayer, David Medford faces a difficult choice as he struggles to pay for his daughter’s treatments: should he trust God with the outcome or return to his old lifestyle of hustling in the streets?
First-time director Myron Davis brings this inspiring drama to the screen after wrestling with the project for the last few years. Initially birthed out of a small group discussion at his church, New Community Bible Fellowship in Cleveland, OH, Davis set out to make a short film about the themes that they explored in the discussion by writing a 15-page script for the project. However, after enrolling in Dov Simen’s Two-Day Film School, Davis felt motivated to turn this project into a feature length movie.
Once he made that decision, the rest of the cast and story came together fairly quickly and it was truly a family affair for Davis. He cast his brother Niles Rivers as David, and his daughter, Macy, as a friend of David’s daughter, Olivia. Rounding out the cast are newcomers Jessica Craig (Alexis Medford), Brianna Reed (Olivia Medford), Bobbie Dancy (Will) and Meggan Conti (Patricia). The movie, which took two years to bring to the big screen, is dedicated to Davis’ mom, Cecile E. Davis, who passed away from cancer in 2014.
“I had an idea to do something that would draw people into our small group, but while writing the film, my mom was diagnosed with cancer,” says Davis. “Most of the dialogue in the film around Olivia’s illness was taken from actual dialogue among my brother and sisters about my mom. When she passed, she left us with a sum of money that we were able to invest into the film.”
In the wake of his mom’s death and while he was struggling to finish the movie, Davis’s marriage was on the rocks. While he counts this time as one of the most difficult in his life, it was also when he drew closer to God. He says, “God was showing me that He was real.” Davis and his wife subsequently reconciled and are stronger than ever, which he attributes to the prayers he prayed during this season of his life.
The parallels between the movie and real life don’t just end with Davis. Actress Meggan Conti says that she connected immediately with the film when she read for the role of Patricia. “Patricia is solid in her faith, and she knows who she is because she has God on her side. God is her support system along with her husband and daughter,” Conti says. “She’s always putting God first, and God uses her as an instrument to say the right things and is comforting. My dad has been through cancer twice, and he’s come out on the other side. My faith in God is what helped me to remain strong.”
In bringing this story to the big screen, Davis was conscious of creating a diverse array of relatable characters. Inspired by the movies Falling Down(1993) and Shawshank Redemption (1994), Davis set out to create three-dimensional characters who are battling with everyday issues related to marriage, illness, and finances, and who also happen to be Christians. In doing so, he does a remarkable job of showing Christianity in a real, sometimes awkward, and uncompromising way. You will leave encouraged by the story of this family's will to overcome an insurmountable obstacle.
Davis adds, “The theme of this movie is that there is always hope and the underlying message is that you never know who you might meet, so you always want to be encouraging and always listen for opportunities to share with someone. You never know what that interaction will lead to.”
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” – Hebrews 13:2
Look for One Last Prayer in theaters and on digital streaming devices this Fall. To request a private screening at your church, school or organization, please contact Yanique Fletcher at: OneLastPrayerMovie@gmail.com
