Samuel Felinton

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Samuel Felinton
SamuelFelinton.png
Samuel Felinton in 2022.
Born
Samuel Felinton

2004 (age 20–21) [1]
Huntington, West Virginia, United States
Education West Virginia University (BFA)
OccupationFilmmaker
Years active2023 - Present

Samuel Felinton is an American filmmaker and religious freedom advocate.

Contents

Early life

Samuel Felinton was born in 2004 in Huntington, West Virginia, [2] and bar mitzvahed at the B'Nai Sholom Congregation. [3] Felinton began attending Huntington High School in 2019 and graduated in 2023. While in highschool, Felinton played Football alongside Gavin Lochow. [4] He currently attends West Virginia University pursuing a degree in Theatre Technology and Design. [5]

Religious freedom advocacy

In 2022, while Felinton was a high school junior, he was forced to attend a Christian revival. [6] He was obliged to stay and watch the assembly despite attempting to leave. [7] [8] [9] This assembly would later make international news, by causing a multi-day walkout alongside Max Nibert and himself, including hundreds of their peers. [10]

In 2023, Felinton, alongside other parents, students, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation, settled a lawsuit against the Cabell County Board of Education to implement a ban on teacher-run religious events being held within school hours on campus. [11]

Career

Samuel Felinton and MUkraine personnel at a As the Sunflower Whispers premiere, in 2025 Samuel Felinton and MUkraine at 'As the Sunflower Whispers' premeire.png
Samuel Felinton and MUkraine personnel at a As the Sunflower Whispers premiere, in 2025

In 2024, Felinton announced the production of As the Sunflower Whispers , a documentary on Ukrainian refugee crisis in collaboration with MUkraine, the film was later premiered at the Edwards Performing Arts Center in Huntington, West Virginia. [12]

On February 12, 2025, Felinton released The Death of Film, an experimental film with a runtime of 856 hours (35 days, 16 hours), [13] making it the second-longest film of all time and the longest animated film of all time.

Filmography

YearTitle Director Writer Producer Ref(s)
2025 As the Sunflower Whispers YesNoNo [14] [15]
2025The Death of FilmYesYesYes [13]
2025 Project Butterfly: Flatwoods YesYesNo [16]

Other work

In 2022, Felinton wrote his first book, Teenager Business, on his entrepreneurship methods and journey through esports. [17] [1]

Personal life

Felinton and his two siblings, Charles and Elizabeth, are the children of Bethany and David Felinton. [18] [19]

Felinton is the great-grandson of Burl Stafford. [20]

References

  1. 1 2 Pace, Fred (September 18, 2022). "Huntington High student achieving entrepreneurship dreams". The Herald-Dispatch . Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  2. ↑ Chambers, Bryan (January 15, 2008). "Felinton loses 30 pounds following Lap-Band surgery and excersize". The Herald-Dispatch . Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  3. ↑ Kaufman, Jane (February 17, 2022). "Christian revival has no place in school, ADL Cleveland says". Cleveland Jewish News . Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Inactive Players". Huntington High School Football. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  5. ↑ Ellison, Hunter (January 4, 2024). "Huntington High Graduates Excel in W.Va. Film Industry". WSAZ . Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Students walk out at West Virginia school after Christian revival". NPR. February 9, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  7. ↑ Ebrahimji, Alisha (February 10, 2022). "High school students stage a walkout after they say they were forced to attend a Christian revival assembly during school hours". CNN . Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Students walk out in protest after public high school holds a Christian revival: 'Is this legal?'". The Washington Post . February 10, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  9. ↑ Leah, Leah (February 9, 2022). "Christian revival at high school prompts student walkout in West Virginia". NBC News . Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  10. ↑ Hanau, Shira (February 11, 2022). "Jewish student forced to attend Christian prayer assembly in West Virginia". The Jerusalem Post . Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Judge: Families can sue over W.Va. religious revival". Freethought Today. Vol. 40, no. 1. Freedom from Religion Foundation. February 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  12. ↑ "As the Sunflowers - Red Carpet Premeire". Marshall University . Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  13. 1 2 "First at 4 Forum: Samuel Felinton & Declan Mungovan". WDTV5. February 13, 2025. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Documentary film on Ukraine to be screened Saturday, Monday". The Herald-Dispatch . February 21, 2025. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  15. ↑ Halsey, Derek (February 20, 2025). "New documentary 'As The Sunflower Whispers' debuts in Huntington". The Herald-Dispatch . Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Samuel Felinton Filmography". Samuel Felinton. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  17. ↑ Lackritz, Matt (September 29, 2022). "Teenager writes book about how to succeed in business". WSAZ . Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  18. ↑ Brown, Lee (February 10, 2022). "West Virginia high school students protest evangelical assembly". New York Post . Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Lawsuit filed over Christian revival at high school". Columbus Jewish News . February 10, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  20. ↑ "July 2019 - Obituaries". Mingo Messenger. July 26, 2019. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
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