Join Director Chris Zaluski for a post-screening discussion.

Theirs is the Kingdom is a 60-minute documentary film that follows the rare creation of a contemporary fresco mural inside the sanctuary of a small church in Asheville, NC. This is a painting not of the rich and powerful, but of people battling homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. From first sketch to final unveiling, the viewer witnesses the difficulties of this ancient artistic technique while also meeting an ensemble cast of complex characters.

After a strong film festival and community screening campaign, Theirs is the Kingdom made its broadcast debut on the WORLD Channel in April 2022. It has since been broadcast more than 1,200 times on PBS stations around the country. 

This screening is sponsored by Wake The Arts Center, Wake Forest Documentary Film Program, and the Office of Civic and Community Engagement. 

Chris Zaluski is an Associate Teaching Professor and the Program Director of the Wake Forest University Documentary Film Program.  Prior to higher education, he worked as a multimedia journalist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The Roanoke Times and spent time as the Director of Video at Teach For America.

His work has earned him distinctions from such organizations as the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Webby Awards, Broadcast Education Association, and the Online News Association.  His work has screened at film festivals, museums, and universities around the world and can be found on most major streaming platforms.

Originally from Canton, Ohio, he enjoys cheering for the Cleveland Guardians, singing Karaoke, and eating perogies.

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