THE DOCUMENTARY
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In the autumn of 1873, one of the worst yellow fever epidemics in U.S. history swept through Shreveport. As the deadly scourge claimed a quarter of the town’s population, the dedicated efforts of five missionary priests offered a call to hope, even as they laid down their own lives in the struggle. True martyrdom is vanishingly rare, extolled as the highest possible sacrifice, yet Shreveport bore abundant witness through these five saintly priests. Their heroism in the midst of this tragic chapter is captured here by a trio of authors, winding a narrative that transcends history to reveal complex themes of virtue, sacrifice and response in times of human crisis and suffering.
DOCUMENTARY: The Five Priests
Global Premiere and International Acclaim for The Five Priests Documentary
The Five Priests, a full-length documentary that recounts the lives of five Roman Catholic priests who died in the 1873 Yellow Fever epidemic in Shreveport and are now Servants of God in the Vatican canonization process, makes its EWTN global premiere on October 8, 2024 and will be available on the free EWTN streaming platform, as well as other outlets.
The Five Priests was produced by the Louisiana State University at Shreveport Foundation, with other local donors, and directed by Chris Charles Scott of Strategery Films in Las Vegas, Nevada. The film includes special animation by Richard Langberg of West Coast FX in Los Angeles, California.
The film’s licensing for public distribution was made possible by:
Glenn and Ellen Kinsey
Keith and Karen Evans
William and Susan Flanagan
Robert and Barbara Pou
Graham and Susannah Walker
Cheryl H. White
The Five Priests features Bishop Francis Malone of the Diocese of Shreveport, former Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States (the Vatican ambassador) His Eminence Christophe Cardinal Pierre, Very Reverend Peter B. Mangum, local historian and author W. Ryan Smith, and Dr. Cheryl White, history professor at LSU Shreveport. The documentary is based upon the book, Shreveport Martyrs of 1873: The Surest Path to Heaven, authored by Mangum, Smith, and White, and published by The History Press in October 2021.
The film received acclaim at numerous international film festivals, including being Best Feature Documentary (2021) at the Cannes World Film Festival, which recognizes exceptional work of independent filmmakers from around the world.
Other honors for The Five Priests include: WINNER, BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY at the SoCal Film Festival (Southern California); WINNER, BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY at the Europe Film Festival; WINNER, GOLD AWARD FOR FEATURE DOCUMENTARY at the Spotlight Documentary Awards; WINNER, BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY at the Christian Film Festival; FINALIST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY at the Texas Film Festival, and SEMI-FINALIST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY at the New York International Film Awards and SEMI-FINALIST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY at the Los Angeles Film Awards.
The film was also an OFFICIAL SELECTION for the Rome Prisma Independent Film Festival, the World Cinema Independent Awards Los Angeles, and the Nieves International Christian Film Festival.
International Acclaim for The Five Priests Documentary
