It’s a challenging task, selecting a film from the growing bank of films in yesHEis.com to review, for the launch of REACH magazine. Having said that, one of my favourites short films, I couldn’t pass  is a 15 minute 2007 film called ‘Validation’ –  written/directed and composed by a very talented – Kurt Kuenne.

Kurt Kuenne is an award-winning filmmaker and composer of both fiction and documentary films, who reportedly began making films as soon as he was old enough to pick up a camera, and we are so glad he did. Kuenne did a SPECTACULAR job with this film. From the finger-snappy acapella soundtrack to directing, editing and cinematography; all of it is perfectly fit into this beautiful story.

The film is perfectly caste starring TJ Thyne, as the parking attendant and Vicki Davis, a photographer who works for the Department of Motor Vehicles.

 ‘Validation’ is fable about a cheerful parking attendant who gives his customers REAL validation -dispensing both free parking and free compliments about people’s appearances and the inner qualities behind them. Everyone who comes up to him with a ticket to be validated walks away truly validated as a worthwhile human being. Soon, the parking attendant becomes so popular that people line up for validation. He appears on news broadcasts and ironically ends up validating President George W. Bush and a rather frazzled looking Saddam Hussein. However, his life hits an obstruction when he goes to the DMV to get his driver’s license photo taken and is met with a beautiful photographer whom he can’t get to smile.

In this feel good love story there is an exquisite surprising twist which will calls for the viewer to have the tissues handy.

Since being uploaded onto YouTube in October 2008 the film has had in excess of 5,700,000 views, which is an indication of the contagious quality of the film.

I highly recommend this film because everybody can learn a thing or two from it. While not intentionally produced to have a Christian message it is congruent with the message contained in scripture about Gods love and intention towards us, His creation, and the way in which we should treat others.  It really is a film which highlights the intrinsic value we all have been given.

The Bible says a lot about the power of words. Words have real power. Of all the creatures on this planet, only man has the ability to communicate through the spoken word. The power to use words is a very unique and powerful gift from God. Our words have the power to destroy and the power to build up (Proverbs 12:6). The writer of Proverb tells us: “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21).

If you want to start a conversation online with a friend or with a group with the intention of sharing the gospel,  and illustrating someone’s ‘worth’, this short film will more than help you do it. It may be the best spent 15 minutes anyone will ever give watching a film. It’s not just a feel good positive movie, it has the potential to change attitudes and subsequently lives.

5 out of 5 stars from me.