THE CHOSEN Star’s New Movie Celebrates Faith, the American Experience
By Movieguide® Contributor
the chosen actress Elizabeth Tabish shares how her faith and her own Armenian heritage drew her to her role as Violetta Petrosyan in BETWEEN BORDERS.
“When I read the script, I just, I connected with it so much. It was such a beautiful story,” Tabish told Movieguide®. “I saw parts of…my grandmother and great-grandmother, who are Armenian.”
The upcoming movie’s synopsis reads:
In a crumbling Soviet Union, the Petrosyan family finds themselves as outcasts—wherever they go. Their Armenian heritage marks them for discrimination, first in their home country of Azerbaijan and then in Russia. After finding their eternal hope through a church planted by American missionaries, the hostility of everyday life pushes them to seek refuge in the United States. In the shadow of exile, hope became their home. Based on a riveting true story of faith and hope set amidst great oppression.
Tabish shares how Violetta and husband Ivan (Patrick Sabongui), although initially hesitant, through missionaries started attending church and embraced Christianity.
“They come from this communist background, and so it was kind of a leap of faith for them to test this out and try and experience …something very different and very new for them, but it clearly changed their lives,” she said.
Forgiveness is a prominent theme in the movie as Tabish reveals how Violetta’s new faith helps her navigate different hostile environments.
“In one of the scenes, Violetta is kind of bullied at the school that she works at, and she shares…in court how her faith and her understanding and relationship with Jesus changes the way she interacts with people; how instead of carrying that hurt or lashing out at people, she forgave them and she turned the other cheek,” the 38-year-old said.
“[I]t’s those sort of very difficult challenges as Christians to love your enemies or to love the people that despise you. And in the story we get to see that played out, and we get to see what that type of love does for not just their family but the people that they meet,” she added.
Tabish points out that the film is also about the immigrant experience, especially refugees coming to America.
“The film highlights the beautiful poem that’s at the base of the Statue of Liberty of ‘Bring me your poor, your huddled masses.’” Tabish said. “It re-inspires. I think of pride in what America has been to so many people. And so many of us come from immigrant families and parents and grandparents and great grandparents, and it’s just such…a beautiful film to be able to celebrate what America has represented to so many of us.”
She went on to say, ”At the same time, there are moments in this film that even though their fate is sort of up in the air, even though where they technically belong in the world is up in the air, there’s still this growing confidence in their faith in God and that that there is always home and refuge and safety and security in that, in their faith.”
READ MORE: the chosen STAR EXPLORES POWER OF HOPE, FAITH IN UPCOMING MOVIE
BETWEEN BORDERS comes out Jan. 26-28, 2025.
Along with her new movie, THE SHIFT actress will join some of her the chosen co-stars, Paras Patel (Matthew) and Luke Dimyan (Judas) along with survivalist Bear Grylls, in CHOSEN IN THE WILD.
“In each episode, Grylls ventures into the wild with one cast member while exploring their personal stories and diving deeper into their own perspectives on the series and the characters they portray,” a synopsis of WILD reads.
Tabish recently shared on Instagram about her excitement about the upcoming show.
“Oh when I tell you this was that last thing I ever imagined myself doing!!! But what an absolute dream to confront so many fears, and somehow find real peace and joy beyond those fears,” she posted. “Thank you @beargrylls and your incredible team, for reminding me of that truth and for helping me trust again.”
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