From 'Elf' to 'Bonhoeffer,' Todd Komarnicki on telling stories that matter: 'One man against the devil'
Todd Komarnicki, the visionary filmmaker behind “Sully” and producer behind the beloved Christmas film "Elf," is now tackling his most profound story yet with “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin,” a film about the German pastor and theologian who stood against the Nazi regime.
“I’m drawn to stories of one man against the system,” the 59-year-old director and producer told The Christian Post. “In “Elf,” it’s Buddy fighting for Christmas spirit in a jaded New York. In “Sully,” it’s Captain Sullenberger defending his heroic actions against a skeptical system. And in 'Bonhoeffer,' it’s one man against the devil.”
Bonhoeffer, born in 1906, became a symbol of defiance during a time when moral compromise was common. Despite a promising future in the German church, he denounced Adolf Hitler as early as 1933, giving sermons that defied Nazi ideology and condemned the church’s collaboration.
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The pastor’s poignant statement, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil,” was the guiding force that would ultimately lead him to resist the Nazis, even at the cost of his life. Bonhoeffer was executed in 1945 due to his resistance to the Nazi regime.
Komarnicki’s film, from Angel Studios and releasing Nov. 22, dives into the complexities of Bonhoeffer’s life — a pastor who plotted to assassinate Hitler in the name of justice and moral responsibility.
Rated PG-13, “Bonhoeffer" stars Jonas Dassler as Bonhoeffer, the founding member of the Confessing Church. “Then I Will,” the end-title track for the new film, written and performed by Lauren Daigle, declares obedience to God’s calling, even in the face of death.
Bonhoeffer’s story of moral courage resonates today, Komarnicki explained, not because of his superhuman strength but because of his struggles and doubts.
“What I found in Bonhoeffer was a man who wrestled deeply with God,” Komarnicki shared. “He doubted, he questioned, and yet he acted. He saw injustice and stood against it. He saw Jews being othered, and he fought for them. He saw the Gestapo infiltrating his church, and he preached against it. All of this came from a purity of courage rooted in his love for God.”
As the world witnesses a rise in antisemitism and division, Komarnicki told CP that Bonhoeffer’s story is more relevant than ever.
“It’s not just about antisemitism,” he noted. “It’s about the alarming trend of ‘othering’ — labeling people, dividing communities and justifying it as righteousness. Bonhoeffer lived as ‘a man for others,’ as he called Jesus. His life challenges us to stop judging and start serving.”
The film, which does include some mild language, highlights Bonhoeffer’s transformation from a promising academic to a man willing to risk everything for what he believed was right. At just 27 years old, Bonhoeffer denounced Hitler from the pulpit, declaring that no leader could supplant God.
Komarnicki said that many Americans are often unfamiliar with Bonhoeffer’s story because history classes largely skip over the years before the U.S. entered World War II. But his research uncovered a man whose defiance of Nazi ideology came at significant personal cost — and whose legacy is deeply inspiring.
For Komarnicki, faith is inseparable from his work. The director, who counts the late Pastor Tim Keller and Narnia author C.S. Lewis among his greatest influences, told CP that he wraps every project in prayer.
“I don't know who I am outside of Jesus Christ. It's 100 percent my identity. So I don't think about my faith as a thing. I think about my life in Christ,” he said. “My life is hid in Christ. Every day begins with surrender. I pray without ceasing. That’s how I live and how I create.”
“Jesus is King. No one else determines my destiny,” he added. “If groups in back rooms decide not to work with me because I’m outspoken about my faith, so be it. But I’ve never experienced that. What I do know is that good art flows from living an open-handed life, as Jesus taught — don’t worry about tomorrow, don’t store up treasures in barns. Surrender and create.”
Komarnicki’s approach to filmmaking mirrors this sense of surrender. He told CP he believes that great art happens when creators live open-handedly, unburdened by worry or the pressures of control.
“Don’t worry about tomorrow, don’t store up in barns — just surrender everything,” he said. “That’s the only way good art happens. It’s an expression of creativity that flows through you, not something you calculate or control.”
For Komarnicki, the notion that being an outspoken Christian could hinder his career has never been a concern.
“It’s possible that in back rooms, people decide not to work with me because of my faith,” he said. “But I’ve never experienced that. And I’m very clear: there is nobody out there who is the gatekeeper of my destiny. Jesus is King. That’s who I walk with.”
This unshakable confidence in God’s sovereignty frees him to focus on what matters — creating meaningful stories and living authentically, he said, adding: “I could have any job, whether it’s as a filmmaker or an oil rigger. The point is to fully be who I’m supposed to be and do it all for His glory, by His grace.”
For Komarnicki, the intersection of faith and creativity is a calling: “We are co-creators with God,” he said. “Every day is an opportunity to do what matters, to live to give and give to live. The world is noisy with judgment and division, but we’re called to be people who wash feet, not point fingers.”
And in today’s polarized world, Komarnicki believes Bonhoeffer’s legacy is more relevant than ever. “We’ve forgotten the grace we’ve been given and the call to love and serve. Instead of dividing, we need to be inviting. Bonhoeffer reminds us of what it truly means to follow Christ — a life of sacrifice, courage and humility.”
Komarnicki told CP his passion for Bonhoeffer’s story extends beyond the film itself. He sees it as a call to action for Christians to live more like Christ — serving rather than judging.
“Jesus, with all power from on high, wrapped a towel around His waist and washed His disciples’ feet,” he said. “If we’re doing anything other than that, we’re missing the point.”
“Bonhoeffer,” he said, is not just a historical drama but a spiritual challenge to a divided world.
As the film nears its release, the director said he hopes audiences will see Bonhoeffer not just as a hero of the past but as a guide for living in the present, a reminder that even in the face of evil, faith and grace are enough.
“It’s easy to doomscroll or get lost in the noise,” he said. “But every day is an opportunity to do what matters. Bonhoeffer’s life reminds us that courage and faith can prevail, even against the darkest odds.”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]
