The groundbreaking animated feature film DAVID, which has already made over $80 million in the box office, is being hailed as a “love letter to Israel,” driven by the decades-long passion of its Creator, Phil Cunningham.
Cunningham recently offered JBS an exclusive look into the exhaustive research and profound personal journey that culminated in the production of this ambitious film.
A 30-Year Calling: From the Zambezi to Jesse’s Son
Cunningham’s vision for DAVID began over 30 years ago, sparked by an experience on the Zambezi River in Africa. “Out in the wild there, that’s where I personally fell in love with God,” Cunningham recounts. It was while reading the story of David, described as “a man after my own heart,” that the idea took root.
“David is an incredible person,” Cunningham notes, emphasizing the king’s relatable flaws. “What struck me the most was that description that he’s got a heart after God’s own heart. David was fun, he was adventurous, he was musical. I was like, wouldn’t it be awesome if we could tell a story—make a movie about David’s life—just how it might give people a glimpse of God’s heart?”
Burning the Ships: The Commitment to the Dream
The transition from dream to reality required a monumental sacrifice. Cunningham, who at the time was running a successful agricultural business with his wife, Jackie, realized the powerful impact movies have on shaping society. Inspired by his wife, the couple made a decisive leap, invoking the metaphor of Cortez’s Spanish invaders who burned their ships to ensure there was no turning back.
“Jackie, my wife, said to me, ‘If you want to make movies, we’ve got to burn the ships.’ I’ll promise you the first 10 years were so difficult, so hard,” Cunningham admits. Yet, the commitment was set; there was only one way forward.
Precision and Perseverance: The Making of DAVID
The film’s production reflects an extraordinary commitment to authenticity. Cunningham shared that the research involved literally “walking the exact lines of the Valley of Elah” and meticulously ensuring “every flower and bird in the film is indigenous to the Judean wilderness.”
The journey to production mirrored the struggles of the biblical heroes. Cunningham points to the wisdom of community as the key to enduring the many setbacks, citing an African proverb his wife loves: “If you want to go fast, go alone, and if you want to go far, go together.”
Cunningham also found inspiration in Winston Churchill’s definition of success: “going from one failure to another without losing enthusiasm.” For the DAVID team, the enthusiasm was sustained by the supportive community around the project, helping them through days when carrying on seemed impossible.
A Tapestry of Faith and Suffering
The film aims to address universal questions, including the reconciliation of God with suffering. Cunningham described his team’s approach using the analogy of a tapestry: “If you look at the back of a tapestry, it looks messy, it’s colorful but it doesn’t make sense. But there’s a faith that on the other side of the tapestry of eternity, God is the most beautiful artist and He’s weaving together this beautiful tapestry that one day we will see. We’ve got to live by faith, not by sight.”
Ultimately, DAVID seeks to build a bridge of understanding and shift global sentiment toward faith through the timeless and deeply human story of King David.
