Michal
a documentary of devotion, dismissal, devastation, and divine design.
About This Film
Michal: Story of Devotion, Dismissal, Devastation, and Devine Design dives into the life of Michal, daughter of Saul, wife of David (1 Samuel and 2 Samuel) – who looked for love in the wrong places and paid an ultimate price. This documentary is crafted through the lens of spiritual formation with the help of a rabbi, a clinical psychologist, a spiritual director, a best-selling author, a pastor of worship, and a theologian.
Teaser
Full-length version
Hi, I'm Dr. Shonda Carter
Director, Producer, Writer, & Editor
My very first attempt at a documentary, and to be honest, not hiding behind humor. I created Michal as part of my dissertation research, Stepping into Story: Creating an Environment for Spiritual Formation, to study the effects of imaginative prayer and formational reading... but from the very beginning, I felt there was more to Michal’s story than the version most people repeat.
Too often, Michal is reduced to a single moment and labeled simply as “the woman who opposed worship.” But the more I studied her story, the more I questioned what might have existed underneath that interpretation.
I wanted to explore Michal not as a biblical villain, but as a human woman shaped by love, loss, political tension, rejection, and silence. A woman whose story may have been flattened by history and retelling.
Through the process of creating this documentary, I found myself relating to her in unexpected ways. Looking deeper at her life allowed me to engage with the emotional complexity of her experience rather than viewing her through a one-dimensional lens.
Experts, Scholars, Artists, etc.
Pasting a beard on one of my actors
Taking a break from the drama of Michal's story with basketball
Describe your image
Pasting a beard on one of my actors
