Sight & Sound’s ‘A Great Awakening’ Showcases the Improbable Friendship Between Political Activist Benjamin Franklin and Spiritual Renegade George Whitefield
“A Great Awakening” will immediately transport viewers back to the 1700s when it debuts in theaters nationwide April 3, 2026, just in time for Easter. Serving as Sight & Sound’s second feature film, following 2022’s “I Heard The Bells,” “A Great Awakening” details the unlikely friendship between Benjamin Franklin and George Whitefield — two of America’s most esteemed historical figures.
At first blush, the movie — primarily filmed in Sight & Sound’s hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania — is a period piece squarely focused on Franklin and his backstory. Whitefield’s narrative slowly emerges, however, through flashbacks as Franklin relays the story of their unorthodox bond to his grandson.
Their alliance was originally born from a business deal. Whitefield came to America from his native Britain with a divine message to share, and Franklin — who owned and oversaw The Philadelphia Gazette — controlled a medium by which Whitefield could get that message out. Yet, the two men couldn’t have been more different.
Franklin was a stodgy diplomat, who loved words and recognized the power they held. With years of experience in the burgeoning publishing business, Franklin viewed the printing press as the pinnacle of mass communication. A pioneer at every turn, Franklin took any chance he could to indulge risk in the name of innovation. An innate skeptic, he was the product of a childhood full of expectations he felt he could never live up to — one of them his father’s prediction that he was born to be a pastor — an idea Franklin scoffed at throughout his lifetime.
For his part, Whitefield was a renegade. A student of the theater, the budding orator embraced the chance to attend Oxford, where he was regularly ridiculed by his peers but eventually found his place among an enlightened spiritual group led by John Wesley. Inspired by Wesley and transformed by a genuine encounter with God, Whitefield’s faith ignited like an inferno. Exiled by the Church of England for defying the religious norms of the day, the trailblazer fled to the American colonies, where he doubled down on his dynamic soul saving and philanthropic work.
The friendship between Franklin and Whitefield became a lesson in agreeing to disagree. While their theology differed greatly, their moral codes somewhat overlapped. Yet, it was their deep, sincere respect for one another that guided their relationship through the years.
Via his fiery preaching style, Whitefield incited a revival, first throughout England, and then across the 13 American colonies, who — at the time — were in the throes of attempting to unite. Franklin was at the center of this political debate, which he eventually helped diffuse thanks to Whitefield’s influence and his own personal conviction.
Starring John Paul Sneed (“Covenant Rider”) as the elder Franklin and Jonathan Blair (“I Heard The Bells”) as the wild and untamed Whitefield, “A Great Awakening” honors America’s 250th birthday with its exploration of this pivotal point in our nation’s history that found America’s founding fathers at a critical juncture. Eventually, Franklin’s political influence, no doubt colored by Whitefield’s radical views, inspired the longstanding tradition of prayer before every congressional session — a custom that’s still observed today. In addition, Franklin laid the groundwork for the U.S. Constitution, crafted and signed in 1787, establishing our modern-day government.
“A Great Awakening” testifies to the power one person possesses to change history — exemplified by both of the film’s protagonists. While fighting for seemingly separate causes, Franklin and Whitefield were, in actuality, both advocating for liberty. Franklin proved that no idea is small and no voice is insignificant. Meanwhile, Whitefield modeled how the Gospel is “good news” for everyone, regardless of social or economic status, political party or age.
“We hope this film allows audiences to witness how ordinary people and an extraordinary God can steer the course of a nation,” shares the film’s director Joshua Enck. “In a moment when the conversation around liberty is once again front and center, this story reminds us that a spiritual awakening helped prepare a nation long before independence was declared.”
“A Great Awakening” is rated PG-13 for intense scenes, mild violence and brief instances of parent/child physical abuse.
Learn more and purchase tickets at agreatawakening.com.
