An original four-day run for a film featuring Andrea Bocelli, Michael W. Smith and other popular singers has been extended to eight days due to audience demand, its distributor says.
The Journey: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli will now open in theaters Sunday, April 2, and run through Sunday, April 9, according to Fathom Events. It was originally scheduled to appear in theaters on April 2-4 and April 6.
The film follows Bocelli, Smith and other singers as they ride on horseback through the scenic Italian countryside on part of the Via Francigena, an ancient pilgrimage. It also includes performances and an interview with Bocelli. In addition to Bocelli and Smith, it features 2CELLOS, Tori Kelly, Clara Barbier Serrano, Tauren Wells, Taya, 40 Fingers and Katherine Jenkins. TBN produced it.
"It was incredible," Smith told Christian Headlines.
Smith trained for the journey, he said.
"I kind of got familiar with being on a horse again. But I'll have to be honest, I was still sore," Smith said, laughing. "The very next day, I looked like I was 105, barely made it to the bathroom. I was hobbling away. But you know what? I wouldn't trade it for anything. We got to see, absolutely, the most spectacular Italian countryside, riding in the middle of nowhere. And performing together in a 3000-year-old Coliseum.
"It's something else to see visually. It's just stunning," Smith added.
Smith performs two new songs in the movie: Sing Again and The Journey. The latter is an instrumental.
"I interviewed Andre in a cathedral. I got to play this organ that must be -- I bet it's at least 1,000 years old."
The duo talked about "what's going on in the world."
"And we all know what the answer is," Smith said. "... It kind of allowed us to sort of maybe reboot and figure out what's really important in life in the midst of a very difficult two years. … I feel like the special is very timely."
Photo courtesy: ©Nicole Crumbley, used with permission.
Music courtesy: ©Soundstripe Library
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
