In terms of automobiles, a flywheel is a spinning disk that helps keep an engine running smoothly by maintaining a steady rotation to keep the vehicle moving forward.
In the new film Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul, both Noah Silva and the classic Ford Mustang he has just acquired desperately need their own flywheel.
Back in 2003, the Kendrick Brothers, the filmmakers behind titles like Fireproof, The Forge, and Facing the Giants, released their first film, Flywheel. With a shoestring budget and using members of their church as both actors and crew members, they created a powerful film that touched countless lives and found a wide audience on home video.
But as Alex and Stephen Kendrick will tell you, despite a string of higher-budgeted and wider-reaching films that followed, they often wondered what might happen if they could remake Flywheel with all the experience and influence God had granted them over the years.
That opportunity came in 2025, when the brothers were contacted by a Brazilian film studio that had seen what God had done through their films in Brazil and expressed interest in working on a project together.
For context, on its opening weekend in September 2024, the Kendrick Brothers’ film The Forge took the number one spot at the Brazilian box office, beating out major studio releases such as Transformers One and the sequel to Beetlejuice.
Audiences in Brazil showed Hollywood what kind of content they were hungry for, and it wasn’t huge, loud special effects spectacles. They wanted something deeper and more impactful.
So, when Flywheel was given a new life, it seemed fitting that it would happen in Brazil.
Whereas the original film was shot in the Kendrick Brothers’ hometown of Albany, Georgia, this new version traded pine trees for palm trees, with production taking place on location in Rio de Janeiro. Of course, filming a movie in a country where much of the cast and crew primarily spoke Portuguese presented its own challenges. But trusting God, the brothers rewrote their film and moved forward with production in Brazil.
The result is a visually breathtaking backdrop for a story that will touch the heart of every viewer, whether they’re in South America or the American south, and all points in-between.
Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul is a universal story about a father and husband who has become so obsessed with providing for his family, he’s abandoned the people he’s providing for. And in the process, abandoned his own soul in the name of always closing the deal.
After years of substantial markups and failing to point out the less desirable aspects of the used cars he’s been unloading onto his unsuspecting customers – including the pastor of his church – dealership owner Noah Silva (Mario Bregieria) faces the stark reality that he’s on the precipice of losing everything, including his family.
Noah rededicates his life – and his business – to God and promises to be fair and upfront on all transactions moving forward. A decision that is met with resistance from members of his sales team, who’ve adopted the same underhanded tactics Noah previously used to close deals.
But as Noah’s wife Ana (Perola Faria) points out to him, if he really wants to follow God’s will in his business, he’ll have to do more than make changes going forward. Noah must rectify the sins of the past, and it’s going to require a major act of humility.
He sets out on a mission to restore his reputation – and that of his company – one customer at a time.
Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul holds up a mirror to many of us in the audience. It offers a poignant, and sometimes brutally honest look at the pressures of trying to be a good provider and a good man, and what happens when faith is pushed to the sidelines in the process.
While the story should resonate with a wide audience, its message will be particularly meaningful for husbands and fathers who understand the pressure to provide while still being obedient to God and present for the people who matter most.
Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, October 16th.
