FamilyChristianMovies.com

COEUR D’ALENE, ID – June 22, 2011 - (www.slowfadethemovie.com) When faced with the tough issues that teens are going through these days, many try to fix the symptoms. Slow Fade, the first feature film from young director, Ryan Anstett, takes a different approach. Going straight to the heart of the problem, Slow Fade addresses the choices rather than the effects of those choices.

The dramatic story of Slow Fade is very fitting for today’s generation. So often young people make choices without considering the impact of those choices. “These choices have a huge impact on their lives which is often overlooked. We need to look beyond the next moment to see the future consequences of our choices and make decisions based on what is right, not what is just convenient at the time.” Says Ryan Anstett, the 21 year old writer and director of Slow Fade.

Just recently the trailer was released online (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9RaUnKRkOE). It has been met with a lot of positive feedback and the excitement is building for its release this summer. Slow Fade will have its premier in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. This will be followed by a limited release and many church showings across the United States. To stay up-to-date on the progress of Slow Fade, visit the facebook page and sign up for email updates.

For interviews or more information please contact: Ryan Anstett - Writer/Director Clock Work Cinema 208.819.2554 direct line Ryan@cwcfilms.com www.slowfadethemovie.com

Sybil Ludington Director Kim Robinson was recently interviewed about her heart, role and vision for the DVD that she wrote and directed.

FCM: How did God put this on your heart?

Kim Robinson: Amazingly, we had known for over seven years prior to filming Sybil Ludington that we were going to do films. We had been doing family television since 1994, our show KICKS Club airs over 30 times weekly on are around 15 networks. We had gone to Williamsburg, VA to do a special show series, “Elmer Goes to Williamsburg”, which sparked the ambers of passion I had buried for the revolutionary time period for me. I then started developing a curriculum for this series and ‘stumbled’ on the story of Sybil Ludington. The Lord immediately made it clear that He had brought her story before me to do a family film. I set it aside for five years. Then, five years later, one Sunday morning prior to church, the Lord spoke to me, “Just do it. It’s time to do Sybil Ludington.” That day I began writing the script. From that point, it was all through His leading, that within a few months we had a cast and a script in their hands. This step of faith for me has been a very personal experience with the Lord. To see Him take this movie which was simply something that He had spoken for me to do and gave me the ability to write, produce, and direct, is a testimony of His grace, power, and doing. I’m thankful for that and thankful to Him.

Kim Robinson: We shot the film in Ohio, at one of Ohio Historical Society’s locations called, Schoenbrunn Village, located in New Philadelphia, part of Ohio’s Amish Country. This village is Ohio’s first settlement, settled in 1772 by a Moravian Missionary, David Zeisberger. It was a unique set up and was perfect for what we needed. It gave us that ‘historical’ feel, which is what I wanted.

FCM: Why did you choose the location?

Kim Robinson: I wanted the lighting the village cabins would project. Using all natural lighting is important to me as a director. I felt the white walls and the size of them would give an overall feel for what I wanted to portray through the movie which was, warmth, home, family, and faith. The inside of these rooms had a look that we could capture as we creatively dressed the set with a flair to capture the story. The Director of Photography, my son, Tony Robinson and I, worked diligently together to capture the unique lighting I wanted. We used over 1,000 candles to capture the look.

FCM: What did you feel the location could do for the film?

Kim Robinson: I felt the location would give the ‘feel’ that Sybil’s home was much further away from the typical coast of New York, showing her home pressed more into its wooded areas. Her 40 mile ride was through heavy wooded territory as well as populated areas and I felt this location would produce that. I wanted the look that portrayed Colonel Ludington developed the land where they lived, which he did, and wanted to bring out how the Revolutionary War effected these areas and most importantly the personal lives and families who lived there. We also needed an area to bring Sybil’s ride to screen and this village was in the perfect country area of Ohio that I felt could bring this to pass.

FCM: Was there anything specific you had to do develop the film sets?

Kim Robinson: Yes, one thing we did have to do regularly was remove some of the things within the cabins that weren’t period acceptable and replace them with our own props such as, candelabras, candlesticks, candles, rugs, pewter, furniture, etc. We took pictures of these pieces and arrangements and put everything back in its exact spot. We were very specific to take precise precautions of the village items. The buildings were also located closely together giving us the ability to work the sets nicely but had the challenge to keep other buildings out of the shoot. We also had to work around and hide posts, as well as any other modern items. The cabins had no electricity which produced a challenge for any other form of lighting, causing us to use generators, which created other sound challenges. We also had the challenge of keeping traffic sounds and airport sounds out of the film. But, overcoming challenges is really what I feel makes shooting a film creative.

FCM: How long did it take to make the film?

Kim Robinson: We stepped out on this and determined to shoot the film in 17 days, using 3 days of those 17 as any rain or make up days. Miraculously, we finished our shoot in 14 days and had 3 days to close out any last minute decisions. The best way to describe it is, we walked through our shoot and took it ‘one day at a time’. We didn’t look at what was before us but simply at what was there to do at the moment. This is what helped us through it, especially when the challenge came to think it just couldn’t be done. That’s why preplanning and scheduling was vitally important to us. We had studied our schedule and went over it for months prior, and specifically laid it out. We pre-determined to schedule the shoot within that two week period. Once on site, we could take it one day at a time and move forward on the foundation we laid prior to getting there. This worked for us and we were blessed at how the Lord carried us through it but most importantly, His hand in making it happen.

FCM: Does the story of Sybil Ludington touch you personally?

Kim Robinson: Yes very much. I felt Sybil’s story was a message of courage and about embracing a moment in faith. In her story, I saw it that Sybil had to confront what was before her by moving forward through an action of courage founded in the strength of faith. I wrote a song about the movie that we as a ministry sang through the whole process which embraced us in the simple testimony for me personally about stepping out and writing/producing and directing the film itself. Courageously, I felt I was not only writing about her ride but inspired to take the ride the Lord had put before me. I felt that Sybil’s ride was a destiny the Lord had set before her to impact her country and it was His plan for us to tell her story on film and give Him the opportunity to use what we had done to reflect her story to impact others as well.

The song I wrote was based on the message I felt rooted in Sybil’s story itself. I saw it based from Psalm 91:1, which is quoted in the movie. It says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

The words to the song go;

“Under the shadow of Your wings, I will ride, and You will guide,

Under the shadow of Your wings, I will always go with You.

Your wings they cover me, on a ride that was meant to be,

Your wings they carry me, for a land destined to be free.”

I personally felt the Lord carried Sybil through her ride to impact this nation. I also felt this nation had/has a destiny designed by God to be free and is clearly rooted in Christian faith. I have felt personally through the making of Sybil Ludington the Lord was carrying us by the wind beneath His wings to bring out Sybil’s living example of faith and this country’s Godly roots and foundation, as well as exemplify the passion in the hearts founded in our history for freedom itself.

FCM: What vision did you have for the use of this film?

Kim Robinson: For me, stepping out and doing the movie was my first focus when I started. As I wrote it I wanted to impact the lives of youth and families with a message that unity and family devotion makes for great accomplishment. It has been my passion that its message impact youth and families to make the statement that everyone has “the courage to make a difference, the courage to stand, the courage to bring about change.”

It has been my vision and hope that the Lord will use Sybil Ludington like a pebble dropped in a pond, causing the rippling effect of the message to spread throughout this nation and impact with its message of faith, hope, and family.

As I have seen Sybil Ludington make it into the KidsFirst Film Festival, I was amazed. Then when it made one of the finalists for the festival, I was so honored. We were also extremely honored to be accepted as one of only eight feature films for the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival and to be named an honorable mention in the San Diego Christian Film Festival. Being chosen for distribution by Bridgestone Multimedia Group has taken Sybil Ludington further than I could have ever imagined. I’ve been awed by the Lord’s doing and inspired to continue doing historical and family films. The heart of our ministry and our efforts to step out have been touched and taken to places I never dreamed. We want to see Sybil Ludington and her inspiration of hope reach into homes, churches, families, schools, be inspirational family entertainment and mostly, into the hearts of people.

FCM: What were some of the greatest challenges in completing this film?

Kim Robinson: There are so many stories I could tell about with the amazing things the Lord did for us in doing this and how we overcame the challenges. But to share what I feel to be a couple of the greatest challenges, would be;

One, was about my desire to have a specific look and to get the ‘vista’ for the film with Sybil’s horse. We were up to one week prior to the shoot date but still did not have the vista location and to top that, we then began to have some real challenges in getting Sybil’s horse from Oklahoma to Ohio. We had to begin looking for another horse that close to the shoot dates and “finally” connected with Mike and Dawn Smitley who were just a few miles from our shoot location. Amazingly, Dawn not only was right there, she had the perfect horse for Sybil’s ride, and she and her husband generously opened up their land for the opener of the movie. They were an answer to prayer not only for the horse, but for the vista of the film. They were an amazing provision.

Secondly, the most challenging I feel was with creating the lighting for the ride, the rain, and the ride itself. We studied so many avenues for this and opted to not use day for night. We brought out generators, lights, and Sybil, with lots of water in spray bottles to get her wet. We had to create the storm, keep a fire in a cabin burning to keep her warm, and work with her over and over with the horse to create the ride. We used reflectors, fog machines, and ran the horse through tons of brush, trees, poison ivy, and fallen branches, all through the dark. It was a bit intense to say the least. We couldn’t start until dark, which Daylight savings time worked against us. We finally completed the ride around 2am. We took the footage, designed its color correction, sound effects and rain. It was an amazing accomplishment and what I feel was one of the greatest challenges and the greatest achievement of filming the movie itself.

Thank you Kim Robinson for such an open-hearted interview! Find Sybil Ludington at FamilyChristianMovies.com- Sybil Ludington

“The Courage to make a Difference, the Courage to Stand, the Courage to Bring About Change“

Our freedom in the United States to worship the God up above, has come to us at a hefty price. History reveals to us the people in history that have shown their courage and bravery to proclaim their faith and demand that all people have the freedom to believe.

Sybil Ludington was a young girl that played a significant role in the fight for our freedom to honor our God, and not the British crown. This DVD shows the reality of the tough choices that families had to make- whether they were to remain loyal to the crown and reduce opposition, or if they were to rebel against them and stand up for their faith and freedom.

As you watch the Sybil Ludington DVD, your mind will be brought back to what it took for people to have what we have now- freedom to worship and practice our faith. It reminds you of what we sometimes take for granted, and the people who helped make it possible.

Compared to Paul Revere, Sybil Ludington made an incredibly brave choice one very important night. Sherode out into a storm knocking on peoples homes making them aware that war was about to happen and all were needed. She rode her horse 40 miles, alone in her efforts to help save New York in the Revolutionary War. She rode her horse in courage strength and bravery, all in the name of God and the preservation of her freedom to proclaim her faith in Him.

The Sybil Ludington DVD does a fantastic job recreating what it would have been like at the time of the war for Independence. The costumes, the sets, and the ways and means of living are all very well demonstrated. Viewers of all ages will catch a glimpse of history and how different their lives were from what we are living today. A great visual to remind us of what we take for granted, and maybe even to remind us of the courage and bravery we too are to have in our faith.

Miracle of the Widow

By Dana Chaffin

Miracle of the Widow is now available on dvd. This is a touching story of Ruth, a Holocaust survivor and Grace, a young woman who is trying to find her purpose in life. The two women came from very different backgrounds, but once their paths cross, so do their hearts. Ruth is holding on to a family secret that has been kept for many generations, but will Grace be the one to find out?

Miracle of the Widow starts in Hungary 1944 when a Jewish man fears that his family is in danger from the growing violence. He sends his young daughter, Ruth (played by Jody Spradlin), and a letter to his sister in Holland. Ruth later learns from old newspapers that her family was killed and now she and her aunt are the only family left. They decide to move to America where they can continue their family’s tradition of baking. The aunt opens a small bakery in Oregon called HIS Bakery. After the aunt passes, Ruth is left alone with only the bakery. She runs the bakery until her aging body is getting tired and she must find someone to help her run the bakery. Grace (played by Rachel Dennis) is a recent college graduate with a

master’s degree and very opinionated attitude. She is not sure of where her life is going and she running away from her past. She enters HIS Bakery when she is hired at a children’s center to teach and help with the afterschool program.

Miracle of the Widow was written and directed by Paul Stoos. It was the first film produced by Broadway Bridge Productions, but from the quality and acting you would not know. The cast and crew, totaling 80 members, were completely volunteers and none of them got a paycheck. They were humbled by each other’s passion and dedication for the film. Most of them had full time jobs and then would work long, long hours on the film. Not one of them said they regretted it or would not do it again. Each member of the crew gave the glory of this film to God, because without Him we could not have made this film.

Miracle of the Widow is an amazing story of tradition, faith, and friendship. This is a great movie to share with your family. The twists in the story will surprise viewers and touch their hearts. You can find out more about the film, cast/crew, and buy the dvd at  www.familychristianmovies.com.

Dana Chaffin is a Christian freelance writer who has published many articles on sites like: faithwriters.com, christianmediaalliance.com, crossroadmag.com and extantmagazine.com. Passionate about Christian film, her desire is to get the word out about Christian movies to as many people as possible. Email signgal@faithwriters.net

Based on a true story of Jim Keith, coach of The Lady Cyclones.

Believe in Me- DVD A young couple moves to a small town excited for the new position that the man, Clay Driscoll (Jeffrey Donovan, Hitch) would be taking as the new boys high school basketball coach. Unfamiliar with small town politics and expectations, Driscoll arrives ready for work when he is welcomed with rude staff and an unexpected turn of events.

Driscoll was told that he was not to be the boys basketball coach, but the girls! Upset by the news and feelings of being undervalued, Driscoll’s first inclination was to refuse the position. But after realizing that it was the only position he was able to have, he took it with a hesitant heart and not the slightest clue what this position was about to bring upon him.

You fall in the love with Clay Driscoll and his wife Jean (Samantha Mathis) as she steps into place to encourage him and teach him about the ways of a girl, especially the ways of small town girls. She helps open his eyes to see what these girls are capable of- if they were coached right.

Unfortunately, soon after Driscoll puts into action the thoughts and ideas that his wife shares, he faces more challenges than just coaching basketball. The ideas of the towns people, the families of the girls but most of all the ideology of the school board President Ellis Brawley (Oscar nominee Bruce Dern, Coming Home) become the biggest challenges to overcome of them all.

Overcoming these challenges in addition to woman inequality, abusive families, and favoritism for the men’s basketball team, become what brings this team together. The girls see that their coach believes in them, which empowers them to believe in themselves. Together they stick up for what is right, no matter what is at stake and come together and fight until the end.

Believe in Me is a great family DVD to enjoy together as you see how the unexpected takes a turn for the best! It’s uplifting and encouraging as you cheer alongside the girls and want the best for them as you too believe in them! The edited CBA version is available at familychristianmovies.com!

YET Productions presents Maddy, a family Christian DVD that really touches the heart.

Maddy shows an example of the hurt and blame that a person can put on themselves instead of finding healing and forgiveness from the Lord. The blame that the character Maddy has put on herself for the accidental death of her parents, puts her on the street. Literally, Maddy is burdened with guilt and feels that she does not deserve to have anything and decides to give it all away. On the streets she is loved by fellow homeless men and woman and is known to be the giver and the protector. Her grieving heart may be broken, but it hadn’t left her.

Throughout this DVD you witness how different peoples lives can be. Some have an abundance, and some have nothing. But one of the points taken away from this family DVD is that no matter where you are in life, or what you have, you always need Jesus. Several characters in this DVD exhibit the need and most of them encounter someone who wants to share the Gospel and the love of Jesus Christ. So it’s through time and trial that several of the character’s hearts begin to change toward Jesus.

Maddy, the most generous of all of the characters comes to have peace with God and receives His forgiveness and changes her life for Him. God also blesses her with more than just His love and grace, He blesses her with someone whom she has had heartache for her entire life- a brother whom she thought had been dead the entire time!

Maddy is a great family DVD that captures your heart for the lost, the homeless and for those who are caring the guilt of something they shouldn’t. It would be a great film for people that don’t know Jesus and thus don’t know to cast their burdens onto Him and find forgiveness.

YET Productions is giving a FREE copy of this film to anyone who may be interested! If you are one of those people, please send them an email at Leesleyfilms@gmail.com

To view a short trailer of this film: Maddy Trailer

I hope you’ve entered our “Cheesy Tagline Contest” to win a free copy of Fireproof.

I’m excited to hear everyone’s ideas, and although these are fun, I thought it’d be good to remind ourselves of why Fireproof is such an important Christian film.  Fireproof wasn’t only a ground-breaking film in terms of it’s widespread penetration in both Christian and secular markets as a solid, bible-based film about the covenant of marriage, most importantly,  God has graciously used Fireproof to help and even save thousands of marriages across the world.  At $5.99, you can purchase Fireproof not only for yourself, but for friends and family who will be encouraged by this film whether their marriage is falling apart or holding strong.

Here are a couple testimonies from Fireproof’s webpage where they say that 5783 Marriages Have Been Ignited By FIREPROOF.

James H.
Posted on December 22, 2009
Thank God for this movie and for The Love Dare book. I am going through a crisis right now where my wife was wanting to leave me. Notice I said was! We, thanks to this gift from God, are working it out and are coming closer than we have been in some time. Words cannot explain the greatness of this movie. This is what God intended for marriage. Remember, it is not only a promise but a covenant to God. Praise God! Thank you all for making this movie. May you surely be blessed for this.

Teresa and Preston
Posted on November 04, 2009
My husband and I saw the movie and cried like we did the day we had our son! I am only 21 and he is 25, so we’re both still young. But the movie totally changed the way we feel and act toward each other. And we’re still working on our marriage.

Erin S.
Posted on September 13, 2009
I had no idea what an impact FIREPROOF would have on our marriage when we first watched it in the theater! It was the catalyst that forced my husband to confront his sin and change. Christ has worked a miracle in our marriage, and it all began with this movie. I am reminded of God’s grace on us and his unusual methods each time we watch it in our home.

As I read those testimonials, I’m reminded that we’re in the business of selling films that God can use to impact lives.  It’s an awesome reminder.  Don’t forget to register to win a free copy of Fireproof here. Contest ends Saturday April 9, 2011.

When we put Fireproof on Sale this week,  I couldn’t help but think of cheesy taglines to advertise our $5.99 for Fireproof sale.  How do these sound?

“Fire Sale on Fireproof !”

“Your marriage may be Fireproof , but these prices will burn up soon!”

“We’re Burin’ Down the House with these Prices on Fireproof !”

“These Prices are HOT! Fireproof - $5.99!”

Pretty fun, pretty cheesy.  I’d love to hear your cheesy taglines.  I”m giving away one copy of Fireproof this week to one lucky (randomly chosen) winner.  All you have to do to be entered is tell us your cheesy tagline idea in the comments.  You can enter up to three times “see Below”.

Entry #1 - Think up a “Cheesy Tagline” to advertise our Fireproof sale. and enter it in the comments.  (You can only enter one. Entry #1 is mandatory for #2, #3)

Entry #2 (Facebook) - Post this to your Facebook Wall

I just entered to win a Fireproof DVD in the “$5.99 for Fireproof Cheesy Tagline” Contest at http://www.familychristianmovies.com Enter Here http://ow.ly/4srAg ”

Let us know that you did this in the comments to be entered in the drawing a second time.

Entry #3 (Twitter) Tweet This

I just entered to win a Fireproof in the @ChristianDVD “Cheesy Tagline Contest” at http://ow.ly/4srAg

Let us know that you did this in the comments to be entered in the drawing a third time.

Contest Rules: You need to comment separately to be entered all three times. Winning DVD can be shipped to US, APO or Canada addresses only. An email address must be entered to leave a comment and join the drawing.  It will not be public, so please use a real address.  We need to contact you if you win. Contest Ends at Midnight on Saturday April 9.  The winner will be announced Monday April 11, 2011.

RE-RELEASE OF EXPLOSIVE FILM SPOTLIGHTS CHRISTIAN KILLINGS IN TURKEY

Marks Anniversary of Slayings, Deep Cultural Divide in Nation

TULSA, OKLA. –March 15, 2011– Nolan Dean Films/Stuff of Earth Media has just re-released their powerful documentary, Malatya, a feature length film about the brutal killings of three Christians in Turkey in 2007. The film’s long awaited re-issue coincides with the April 18^th anniversary of the tragic event.

To mark the anniversary, Malatya,’s producers are asking churches nationwide to join them in a global day of prayer for Turkey. They also ask pastors to present the film to their congregations as a way to raise awareness of the persecution Christians face today in that Muslim nation.

“There is a powerful need to expose these tragic deaths to the light and bring a healing within Turkey that touches believers and Muslims,” said Nolan Dean, Director of Malatya. “I ask pastors nationwide to mobilize their church for a special day of prayer for Turkey and to show this powerful film to their church body and loved ones. I believe Malatya is an amazing story of forgiveness and forbearance in tragedy and why we all need to unite together in prayer for the healing of the Turkish people.”

The story of Malatya traces the tragic killings of three Turkish believers in 2007 by five Muslim teens—a crime which sent shockwaves throughout Turkey and devastated Turkish Christians nationwide. The film also follows the men’s families in the aftermath of the murders and their decision to show God’s mercy despite the religious persecution they experience.

Since its release in 2009, Malatya has received rave reviews for its gritty portrayal of the tragedy as well as the deep cultural divide that now exists for many in Turkey today.

“Turkey has had to come to grips with the fact that Christians were martyred in the name of Islam,” says Steve Husmann, producer of Malatya. “I think many Muslims have been challenged with that awful truth and how they view their spiritual beliefs in the face of it. The tragedy of these murders has moved well beyond the singularity of one incident and into the consciousness of a nation. That’s where we pray they find healing and discover the truly transforming love of Jesus Christ.”

Malatya is today being re-released with brand new music, a new website, and other production changes. The film can be ordered online at www.Malatyafilm.com with free group licenses for churches available for the cost of a single DVD ($14.99). Producers are also offering packs of 20 DVDs for $100 to sell after the showing or as special gifts to attendees.

For more information about Malatya, please visit www.Malatyafilm.com. For information about the Global Day of Prayer for Turkey, visit www.prayforturkey.com.

“Wheel of Knowing” is a family, Christian DVD that gives a truthful example of how circumstances in life can really turn your life upside down. But it also shows that remaining faithful to God’s constant teaching will reveal more to you than you thought you could ever know.

Melanie (Melanie Baker), the faithful wife and mother, is stricken with grief when her own mother dies, and battles the idea of leaving her father (Frank Borgia) alone with his Alzheimer’s. She knows that her siblings have issues with her father, but she doesn’t understand how they could just abandon him. She decides to do the “right” thing and brings him into her home with her and her family.

This decision comes with more weight than she was prepared to handle. Not only did she have to learn todeal with handling her father with Alzheimer’s, but her husband (Michael Sewell) and children were being forced to learn too. What she didn’t realize was that having her priorities in what she thought to be the “right” order, came with huge consequences. While Melanie was preoccupied with her Dad, it left her husband feeling alone in the stress of his job, her teenage daughter alone in her struggles with peer pressure, and her young daughter alone dealing with an illness that “appeared” to be the flu.

“Wheel of Knowing” is a very applicable DVD to the lives of so many people. It captures your emotions and your understanding as you see what this family is going through may not be far off from your very own. The acting is extremely well done and in conjunction with a very interesting story line, it has you following each character and event so intently that the DVD really captivates you.

God’s grace and teaching hand are so prevalent in this DVD. The perfect life seems to turn upside down very quickly even when doing all of the “right things”. But by His grace, he shows that we need to give everything to Him and allow Him to show us where we need to put our efforts. This DVD shows that He reveals to us and gives us more than we could have ever known.