What Would Jesus Buy? Reverend Billy Film at SF Docfest

Reverend Billy

“What Would Jesus Buy?”, a documentary about Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping, is featured at this year’s SF Docfest (see my previous post) and is screening on September 28th, September 30th and October 1st at the Roxie Cinema in San Francisco. The film is directed by Rob VanAlkemade, produced by Morgan Spurlock and premiered this spring at SXSW. Reverend Billy and church director Savitri D will be on hand for Q&A after the screenings.

No one has ever consumed as much as Americans today. And at no time do we consume more than at Christmastime. As the holiday shopping season grows longer, and the malls open earlier, we’re losing something we may never get back.Performance Activist Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping are on a mission to Save Christmas from the Shopocalypse. Backed by his Gospel Choir, the Reverend travels coast to coast to address the shopping addictions which afflict us. The Church saves souls through parking lot revivals, cash register exorcisms, and more; ultimately leading to the Reverend’s arrest on Christmas Day.Our exploration also includes informative visits from psychiatrists, politicians, kids and their overspent parents, and others, each helping to examine our holiday season and other conditions challenging Americans year-round.

Here’s video of Reverend Billy’s Starbucks Protest at SXSW by Baratunde Thurston.

Reverend Billy

Eric H. Brown has a bunch of great photos of Reverend Billy in action.

Reverend Billy is currently standing trial for reciting The First Amendment in public. His civil rights lawyer Norman Siegel is quoted as saying “Reverend Billy has the First Amendment Right to recite the First Amendment”.

Reverend Billy

While Reverend Billy is in town, he’ll be doing an interview with RU Sirius for 10 Zen Monkeys and will be a special guest on Baghdad by the Bay hosted by DJ Fog on Pirate Cat Radio this Saturday, September 29th from 4-5pm.

If you would like to interview Reverend Billy while he is in San Francisco, just let us know and we will put you in contact with him.

See Also: What Would Jesus Buy? World Premier at SXSW

UPDATE: Steve Rhodes has some photos of Reverend Billy from the SF DocFest opening.

photo credit: Eric H. Brown
Scott Beale
Scott Beale

Scott Beale is the founder of Laughing Squid and is based in New York City. When not running the blog, Scott can be found posting on Threads and sharing photos on Instagram.