‘The Carpenter’ Film Intertwines MMA, Heavy Metal, Jesus In Inspiring Tale

SALT LAKE CITY
The film “The Carpenter” expects to turn heads when it releases in select theaters nationwide on Nov. 1, as the story of a champion MMA-style prize-fighter who is befriended by a benevolent Carpenter from Nazareth hits the silver screen at nearly 1,000 locations.

The film—backed by a heavy metal soundtrack— follows the story of Oren, an adopted orphan whose journey as a paid fighter takes him to the city of Nazareth in Galilee. There, he is befriended by Yeshua, a carpenter who takes him under his wing to share his craft and wisdom. Produced by the Krebs Family, “The Carpenter” was shot in Cape Town, South Africa, and at times upwards of more than 200 extras were required for shooting the extensive MMA and parkour action scenes.

“The Carpenter” is co-written by and stars Kameron Krebs and directed and co-written by established filmmaker Garrett Batty (“The Saratov Approach” and “Faith of Angels”).

“Almost a decade ago, my dad and I were building a shed when we came up with the idea for the film,” said Krebs. “We were talking about how much perfection goes into the craft, and we ultimately began discussing what a perfect occupation carpentry was for Jesus. That made us wonder what it would be like to work under his tutelage as an apprentice, and from there, the film was born.”

Krebs’ father, Kenny, co-wrote the screenplay as well.

“I fell in love with the premise right away, asking the question so many of us have asked: ‘What was Jesus’ life like in the years leading up to His ministry?’” Batty said. “We spent a lot of time imagining Him during those early adult years before His recorded ministry officially began. It became clear that we should depict Jesus as a caring, good-humored, likeable and wise ‘older brother.’ Add in the action, soundtrack and the Krebs family’s inspired vision, and you have a film unlike anything I’ve ever had the joy of working on before.”

A Mixed Martial Arts Story of Biblical Proportions
The vehicle for the story is Oren’s quest as a professional mixed martial artist. The sport’s origins pre-date the seventh century B.C., and a subculture of this style of fighting—and the wagering that accompanied—was not uncommon in the region during that time. To portray all hand combat scenes most accurately, filmmakers brought several professional fighters on for choreography, stunts and fight sequences. Notable professional fighters involved in production include:

• Daz Crawford (Sharar) — former heavyweight boxer once ranked fourth in the UK and UK Gladiator “Diesel”
• Brendon Groenewald (stunt coordinator and Nazareth Referee) — retired Extreme Fighting Championship fighter
• Gideon Drotschie (Cana Fighter) — retired Extreme Fighting Championship fighter
• Matt Esof (Mattai) –taekwondo fourth dan blackbelt known for roles in “Tomb Raider,” “Resident Evil – The Final Chapter,” “Maze Runner: Death Cure,” “Troy: The Fall of a City” and “Escape Room”

Not Your Typical Soundtrack…

In an unusual twist for a film set to a Biblical backdrop, “The Carpenter” turned to a soundtrack of contemporary heavy metal music. Its setlist includes hits from Godsmack, Drowning Pool and Motley Crue, among others, further juxtaposing the intense combat sequences with Oren’s peaceful encounters with Yeshua during his apprenticeship.