Esther and the King

Evangelist Carlton Pearson is ostracized by his church for preaching that there is no Hell.

In Biblical times, a girl disguises her Jewish origins when the Persian king comes looking for a new bride among his subjects.

Middle-aged widow Beatrice Hunsdorfer and her daughters Ruth and Matilda are struggling to survive in a society they barely understand. Beatrice dreams of opening an elegant tea room but does not have the wherewithal to achieve her lofty goal. Epileptic Ruth is a rebellious adolescent, while shy but highly intelligent and idealistic Matilda seeks solace in her pets and school projects, including one designed to show how small amounts of radium affect marigolds.

Based on the true story of a black girl who was born to two white Afrikaner parents in South Africa during the apartheid era.

A miraculous conception. A merciless king. A murderous pursuit. Mary's journey to give birth to Jesus unfolds in this biblical coming-of-age epic.