KJ Apa Access @ kjapa.net » I Still Believe

I Still Believe

KJ as: Jeremy Camp
Directed by: Erwin Brothers
Written by: Jon Erwin, Jon Gunn, Madeline Carroll
Produced by: Kevin Downes, Jon Erwin, Andrew Erwin
Other cast: Britt Robertson, Nathan Parsons, Shania Twain. Gary Sinise
Release date: March 13, 2020
Genre: Comedy, Biography, Drama, Music
Running time: 1 hour 56 minutes
Based on “I Still Believe” by Jeremy Camp and Phil Newman

I Still Believe is a 2020 American Christian musical romantic drama film directed by the Erwin Brothers and starring KJ Apa, Britt Robertson, Shania Twain, Melissa Roxburgh and Gary Sinise. It is based on the life of American contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp and his first wife, Melissa Lynn Henning-Camp, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer shortly before they married. Camp’s song “I Still Believe” is the film’s namesake.

Synopsis

In Lafayette, Indiana, September 1999, Jeremy Camp (KJ Apa) departs for Calvary Chapel College in Murrieta, California. The night of his arrival, he goes to a concert of Canadian Christian band, the Kry, where he meets the lead singer, Jean-Luc LaJoie (Nathan Parsons), who become fast friends with Jeremy, who comes to him for musical advice. After the concert, Jeremy meets Melissa Henning (Britt Robertson), a fellow student at his school, and friend of Jean-Luc, who loves Melissa, but Melissa does not reciprocate the feeling. The pair (Jeremy and Melissa) get to know each other, and quickly begin dating, causing a rift among Jeremy, Melissa, and Jean-Luc. As a result, Melissa ends her relationship with Jeremy.

Jeremy goes back to his family in Indiana for Christmas break. A few days after Christmas, Jeremy receives a phone call from Jean-Luc, saying that Melissa is sick, and asks Jeremy to come back to California. Upon his arrival, Jeremy visits Melissa in the hospital, who tells him that she has been diagnosed with Stage 3C cancer in her liver. She also tells Jeremy that she loves him. Jeremy says the same, and proposes to her. She accepts. During this time, Jeremy begins to make a name for himself as a Christian singer-songwriter. Melissa learns that the cancer has spread to her ovaries, and that she needs a surgery that will leave her infertile.

After the surgery was supposed to happen, Melissa wakes up to Jeremy, who tells her the surgery was canceled because she is now cancer-free. Six months later, Jeremy and Melissa wed. Everything seems perfect until after their honeymoon, Melissa wakes up in pain. Jeremy takes her to the hospital, where they find out her cancer has returned, and that nothing more can be done for her. As Melissa grows weaker, Jeremy begins to question his faith in God. In the hospital, Jeremy sings a song he wrote (Walk By Faith) during their honeymoon. Melissa dies shortly after.

Jeremy becomes angry at God, and chooses to abandon his musical career, smashing his guitar until it breaks. Inside it, he finds a note Melissa left for him to find after her death, telling him that suffering does not damage faith, but strengthen it, and encouraging him to continue writing songs.

Two years later, Jeremy performs a song he wrote after Melissa’s death (I Still Believe) about his suffering, but eventually restored faith. After the concert, he meets a girl named Adrienne (Abigail Cowens), who tells Jeremy that she lost someone close to her, and she was angry at God, and his songs changed her life.

The film ends with Jeremy promising to share Melissa’s story, believing that God will use it to change lives. The credits reveal that Jeremy and Adrienne got married in 2003, and have three children.

Photos

Home > Film Productions > I Still Believe (2020)

Trivia

A concert scene from the film was filmed at Hangout Fest in Alabama and features real concert goers.

KJ Apa and Britt Robertson previously played a couple in the film A Dog’s Purpose (2017).

Quotes

(On love story of Jeremy and Melissa) “Their love is seriously put to the test in this movie,” he tells PEOPLE. “I hope after seeing the love between Jeremy and Melissa the audience can sit there and think, ‘Wow, I hope that I can one day be in love like that.’ I mean that’s what I Still Believe is about: it’s about journeying through your biggest fears and disappointments and coming out still believing. I believe that anyone, everyone can relate to this film because it’s a story about love, loss, and hope.””

(Why he joined this project) “For me, it was like any other project. My agent called me up and said, “We have a really cool script we want you to read.” I read it; I cried. I thought it was an amazing story. And at first I was a little hesitant, but then over the course of a couple of weeks, I spoke to Andy and Jon. We talked about the project, and I decided to go for it.”

(How involved Jeremy Camp was in the making of the film) “Yeah, I mean, he was on set almost every day. And with his family too, which created a really nice family kind of vibe, which was really important for everyone. I think it helped everyone. And he was there just for like moments, I think. There were certain moments where he was really helpful. But for me, at least, it was more me, Andy and Jon, our directors, that I was working closely with for the character.”

(On singing in the film) “I’m super uncomfortable when I sing,” he admits. “I went into the studio in Nashville — I did that first before we shot anything — and I think that really gave me perspective on the film. Having that sound and knowing what all that music is going to sound like before you go in is super important. It’s either going to boost your confidence and boost your morale or it’s going to be like, ‘Oh, man, that didn’t go so well, so what are we going to work with?’ Luckily, it couldn’t have gone better. I think people are going to love it.”

Official Trailer

Bonus Features

I Still Believe Audio

On Set Interview