Divine Connections, an independent, faith-based company based out of Murfreesboro, will host a red-carpet movie screening for its first full-length feature film, Still Got Joy, on Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Giles Heritage Theater in Pulaski, Tennessee.
The event begins at 3 p.m. with the movie screening starting at 4:30 p.m. Fans and families are invited to attend this special event where cast and crew will be present to sign autographs and take pictures.
Still Got Joy marks the first feature film for producer/co-writer Dr. Shonda Reynolds-Christian of Divine Connections. A Middle Tennessee native, Reynolds-Christian based the film on her book Dying to Live, a true story of her life struggles as a woman of God, which she self-published in 2013.
The author, who grew up in Pulaski, is the Juvenile Justice Team Coordinator for the Tennessee Department of Children Services, where she oversees eight transportation officers and the JJ unit.
Still Got Joy features Wess Morgan, a pastor, recording artist and Dove Award nominee, as well as Jay Dent, a Los Angeles native using acting, poetry and narrative art to shed light on mental health. Dent serves as an actress on The Steve Harvey Show, appears in Kirk Franklin music videos and the HBO series Insecure, and is the leading actress in Still Got Joy.
Still Got Joy is an action/drama film unique to the faith-based genre, dealing with situations outside of typical Christian films while maintaining a family-friendly message and raising awareness about current social issues. The film follows a recovering addict back into her past as she ministers to five inmates. Shantel (Dent) tries crack with her sister, Renee (Nina Wilber). It completely changes her world. The high is a beautiful thing. After that, there’s no turning back. Shantel’s life deteriorates as she continues to smoke crack. She loses weight until she’s nothing but skin and bones. She lies and steals in order to get more drugs. What she doesn’t realize is how addictive crack cocaine is and how far down it can take you.
The drugs cause Shantel to ignore her children and to ruin her relationships. This drug abuse continues until Shantel has a breakdown. She looks at herself and has a hallucination that she consists of nothing but bones, leading her to undergo rehabilitation.
Giles Heritage Theater is located at 206 S. 1st St., Pulaski. Due to limited seating, tickets will not be sold at the door. Find tickets for the Still Got Joy Movie Screening on eventbrite.com, or visit stillgotjoy.com for more information on the project.
I’m so excited about this movie.. I believe lives are going to be miraclelously changed!
Comment October 5, 2019 @ 6:34 am
I am so excited for Shonda and I know she is! This movie will touch hearts! God is so good and I am so blessed to have been a part of this life changing movie!
Comment October 5, 2019 @ 9:05 am
I’m so happy and happy to see this vision coming to fruition Congratulations Dr. Shonda and all the “Still Got Joy” cast and crew! I praise God for all the lives being touched and changed! To God be the glory!!!
Comment October 5, 2019 @ 6:24 pm
So blessed to have been a part of this amazing movie.
Can’t wait for the screening. I believe this movie will change lives!
All glory to God! Congrats to Dr. Shonda…many blessings.
Comment October 8, 2019 @ 10:20 pm
Good works!
Comment October 12, 2019 @ 10:59 am
Just watched this on christiancinema.com
Fantastic story.
Comment June 30, 2020 @ 12:42 am
Thank you that movie was awesome I’m actually experiencing almost the same thing the only difference is I’m trying to kick fentenyal instead of Crack love to meet you I do know several of you family member and actually both side of the families really good
Comment May 8, 2023 @ 7:35 am