GREENSBORO, N.C. — The South is often portrayed narrowly on screen, but those who live here know it holds far more than caricatures. Two years ago, Angus MacLachlan’s A Little Prayer premiered at Sundance — a tender, personal story filmed in North Carolina. Now, as it arrives in theaters in the very city where it was made, it proves the South can be a backdrop for authentic, universal storytelling without leaning on stereotype.
Set in Winston-Salem, A Little Prayer follows a family whose unspoken tensions slowly surface as a gentle father-in-law grows concerned for his daughter-in-law. Through quiet moments and understated performances, the film reveals how love, grief, and forgiveness often unfold in silence.
A Little Prayer is a quiet film. It doesn’t parade its emotion like a showy drama; instead, MacLachlan lets the feelings simmer just beneath the Old Salem cobblestones. The family at its center, like many real ones, rarely confront their demons outright. Instead, the audience experiences a slow burn of emotional unraveling as the edges of their lives fray. It’s sharp, restrained writing that engages viewers without spelling everything out…