‘Elijah Peel’ Is A Cinematic Redemption Story With Real Roots

Kevin Sepe never performed before thousands of screaming fans or made millions with a hit song.

His personal tragedy still mirrors what the lead character in “Elijah Peel,” a faith-based drama about a rocker’s road to redemption, endures on screen.

That’s no accident.

Sepe turned his near-death experiences and addiction woes into a feature film, showcasing what it means to find Christ in the world of pop music.

“Elijah Peel,” out August 14, follows a drug-addled rocker (Robert Malcolm Cumming) recovering from an accidental overdose. He bonds with a fellow patient, a precocious girl named Jessica (Evelyn Grace Kite) who points him toward a better path.

But it won’t be anything close to easy.

Sepe previously plotted feature film projects, but he says they didn’t reflect his current state of mind and spirituality.

“I love the entertainment space,” says Sepe, who produced, wrote, and co-directed “Elijah Peel.” “I always gravitated toward that world.”

He initially envisioned a version of “Elijah Peel” that was R-rated and immature, a frat-style comedy that lacked the current version’s core values.

“It reflected where I was spiritually which was not in a good place [at the time],” he says. Still, the project got traction in Hollywood before his life began to crumble.

He later reassessed his filmmaking vision.

“When I finally emerged from that ordeal … I was left thinking in a different spiritual pace. My God, what had I done?” he recalls, praying that he’d create a project that mirrored his faith journey.

Enter “Elijah Peel,” executive produced by “Duck Dynasty” alums Willie and Korie Robertson. The film co-stars Kevin Sorbo of “Hercules” fame as Elijah’s conflicted manager. Their youthful co-star won the Lead Actress award at this year’s International Christian Film & Music Festival, becoming the honor’s youngest winner at nine years of age.

Rockers like Elijah Peel face constant temptations from fans, fame, and the perils of endless cash. Sepe says he, too, is susceptible to a relapse.

“I’m at a place where I understand where the triggers are for me,” he says. “With one move, I can destroy anybody, including me … even when I pray about this film. I’m so conscious of me getting in the way.”

The project’s goal isn’t Hollywood fame but to “further the Kingdom,” he says, dubbing the film “soul food.”

The parallels between Sepe and his cinematic alter ego are palpable. Yes, both Sepe and his on-screen creation battle addiction issues, but that brand of abuse speaks to a larger concern.

“I know enough about addiction to know it’s a symptom of what’s really going on,” he says. The main character’s rock star status actually can make matters worse for the addict.

“That’s a dangerous place to be for a sick guy or woman inside … they have more means to do what they do … they’re in a place where they can continue … it’s a harder place to get to the bottom.”

On screen, Cumming’s character “had the benefit of a hard and fast fall to near death so he could recognize what an urgent call to address the spirit that was so broken with him was,” he says.

Making a movie inspired by his own life proved an “almost out of body experience,” Sepe says. His next project, already completed, is under contract with Angel Studios to bring “Young Warriors” to the screen. The feature, starring “Entourage” alum Jeremy Piven, follows a group of youngsters “growing up in a dysfunctional world.”

It’s a snug fit for the upstart studio, a production shingle with a goal to “amplify light.” Angel has hit the ground running with impactful films like “Sound of Freedom,” “David” and “Young Washington.”

“Elijah Peel” was shot on location in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s one of a growing number of film projects lensed outside of Hollywood, a trend Sepe embraced.

“There’s something to be said about using local crews in the region,” he says. “There’s a pride in what they’re doing … ‘we wanna show the world this little city is cool.’”

Sepe calls himself a dreamer and storyteller who loves the pop culture landscape. Now, he’s using that affection to talk about Jesus in a fresh way.

Movies like “Elijah Peel” “widen the net,” he says, reaching people who might not otherwise consider a spiritual path.

“The message is powerful, soulful and Christian,” he says. “It reflects the love and grace that God gave me. I wanna share that with the world. Pop culture enables me to do that.”

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Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of HollywoodInToto.com. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. He’s also the host of The Hollywood in Toto Podcast. Follow him at @HollywoodInToto.