WASHINGTON — Hundreds of families attended two free sold-out showings at the Kennedy Center to view an adaptation of famous novelist Charles Dickens’ story detailing the life story of Jesus Christ.
The film, titled “The King of Kings” and produced by South Korean-based Angel Studios, is inspired by Dickens’ The Life of Our Lord, released in 1934. The picture offers a retelling of the story of Christ, using bright animation and witty storytelling to connect with a young audience.
The showing comes in the wake of a change in leadership at the Kennedy Center. In February, President Donald Trump fired both the president and chairman of the Kennedy Center, which in recent years turned into a hotbed for radicals. Trump hosted Kennedy Center leadership at the White House in late May in line with his efforts to reshape the theater, which he once called “woke” and “terrible.” (RELATED: Kennedy Center Apparently Scrubs Pages For Most Egregious Left-Wing Content After Trump Threatens Takeover)
In 2022, the center hosted an initiative in presenting “creators of color from grieving communities across the nation, foregrounding the phenomenon of race-based violence in the United States.” The center has also hosted various left-leaning figures and events, including poet Amanda Gorman and a land acknowledgement exhibition.
The film brought families together for a few laughs and a few more moments of reflection on the story of Christ. These showings were sponsored by the Smithsonian’s Museum of the Bible and Moxie Pest Control. The venue also offered a prayer wall where attendees could write their prayer intentions.
“We go through these stories every day, but being able to see a visual, and it being more kid-friendly, now they can picture it a little bit better,” Josh Addison, who attended with his young family, told the DCNF. “Those are the stories we want them to know about. We want them to know the truth. Doing it here, at this venue, makes it a little bit more grand and provides memories for them.”
“It was a very emotional movie,” attendee Giannina Leudo said to the DCNF. “I think everyone should believe in something, for just the fact of being able to have something to rely on when you are having, or when you are going through hard things.”
“The King of Kings” released on April 11, competing with “A Minecraft Movie” in its sophomore weekend. Despite the competitive schedule, the film performed above expectations in the U.S., netting $19.4 million in its opening weekend. The motion picture became the highest-grossing Korean film in North America in late April.
Today wasn’t just Sunday, June 1st. Today, Jesus entered the halls of the @kencen
Thousands of children & families heard the story of Christ as told by @AngelStudiosInc @KingofKingsAnim in our Concert Hall. My heart is overjoyed seeing faith move in our nation’s Arts center. pic.twitter.com/8vYhWkd2MF
— Roma Daravi (@romadaravi) June 2, 2025
“It’s nice to see it with the family, and it was really well done,” attendee Jeremy Graham told the DCNF. “I think it’s a good movie to see the compiled story of the Bible in a way that’s digestible for the kids.”
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