BURBANK, Calif. — A Distant Thunder sounds like a description of the sound thousands of pro-life marchers make on the Washington, D.C. Mall.

It’s that and more.

When pro-life activists gather in Washington, D.C., Jan. 23 for the 33rd March for Life, there will be a new face among speakers addressing them. Hollywood producer Jonathan Flora and his wife, Deborah, have been invited by March for Life founder Nellie Gray to share the stage with, among others, Bob and Mary Schindler, the parents of Terri Schiavo.

The invitation follows Flora’s October release of A Distant Thunder, the first film to address partial-birth abortion.

The genesis of the film, billed as a “supernatural thriller,” stems from Flora’s own post-abortive experience, coupled with the discovery several years ago that he and his wife were unable to have children.

“I regretfully made that same decision many years ago in college,” said Flora, a supervising producer with Walt Disney Studios. “I’ve had to come to terms with that.”

Told by doctors that he and his wife were unable to conceive, Flora struggled with the paradox.

“Here we are praying fervently for a baby while America is treating unwanted pregnancies like a common cold at the rate of more than 4,500 abortions a day,” he said.

The Floras proved the doctors wrong, eventually conceiving two children naturally. It was during that time period when Jonathan Flora stumbled across partial-birth abortion.

“I was shocked when I learned what it was,” he said. “The more research I did and the more I talked to people who also had never heard of it, the more I knew I had to try to bring this out.”

So, he turned to what he does best, independently writing the script and directing the 35-minute film.

The movie is set up as a court-room drama with a twist. Flora’s wife, Deborah, plays the protagonist, Ann Brown, an attorney facing a difficult partial-birth abortion case.

“Just three inches …” her character says, explaining the difference between life and death for an unborn child.

Those who have seen the film have found it to be effective.

“I believe it offers a unique and inspirational perspective that could help change minds and hearts,” said Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio. “I would encourage everyone — regardless of their position on abortion — to watch this film.”

“It reminded me of the film The Sixth Sense,” said Father Dave Heney of St. Paschal Baylon Catholic Church in Thousand Oaks, Calif. “Early on in the film, the protagonist’s mother doesn’t acknowledge her because she’s not there. We were watching a story where the main character discovers that she was the one who was aborted.

“You struggle to get what is going on in the film,” said Father Heney. “It requires some effort on your part. It ends abruptly. As you reflect back over it you understand that God, in a sense, was giving this unborn soul a chance to experience a life as she might have lived. Whether you understand the film or not, the information does get out about what partial-birth abortion is. You will understand the procedure.”

‘Passion’ Producer

The film was accepted into the American Film Renaissance Festival held at Mann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood in mid-January. While it’s not feature-length, there are other venues for it besides the movie theater.

“There are new markets opening up all the time,” said Steve McEveety, producer of The Passion of the Christ, who has seen the film. “In Europe and Asia they’re using films on cell phones. It could fit into a market like that in the future.”

Father Heney feels the film would work well in small group or parish-based settings, such as faith-sharing or Bible study groups.

“It would also be appropriate for confirmation classes,” said Father Heney. “It’s long enough so that there’s some substance, but it also leaves time in an hour-long class for discussion.”

Flora has screened the film for numerous pro-life organizations and for various members of Congress. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush requested a copy. Flora’s letters to California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein have received no response.

“Using a ‘Twilight-Zone’ twist, [the] film deals with one life cut short by this brutal and most controversial method of abortion,” said Bush. “We should all remember one line from the film: ‘Whether we live 90 years or 90 seconds, there’s a part of us that goes on forever.’”

The film has also been used by crisis pregnancy centers, especially for men and women who are post-abortive.

It’s also helping to save lives.

Flora learned that through a series of connections, a female college student had passed the film on to a 20-year-old woman who was facing a crisis pregnancy and considering an abortion. After viewing the film, the woman decided against an abortion.

The woman’s boyfriend said, “We can’t do this, let’s get married and have this baby,” the college student told Flora in a letter.

While those in Hollywood are fond of saying, “If you want to send a message, use Western Union,” Flora feels that using the medium of film to convey a message is appropriate. He is contemplating a follow-up full-length feature.

“Our goal is not to vilify anyone,” said Flora. “With A Distant Thunder we are trying to educate people with facts. That’s why I tried to wrap this information in an entertaining story with some great effects.”

“The purpose of art is to communicate something,” said Father Heney. “Art is not meant to be bland. If the message is couched in a good story, the medium attracts and engages you. The message emerges only as an activity of the recipient.”

Tim Drake is based in

St. Joseph, Minnesota.