News
Come What May on DVD March 17
NASHVILLE—Feb. 9, 2009—Hollywood, brace yourself again.
The burgeoning trend of small Christian films making large impact continues with COME WHAT MAY www.comewhatmaythemovie.com, a smart new story from Advent Film Group, made with the help of some 40 home schoolers and Patrick Henry College (PHC) in Virginia. COME WHAT MAY releases nationally on DVD on March 17 distributed by Provident Integrity Distribution.
While training a new generation of filmmakers, Advent has also broken marketing ground with its “virtual theatrical release” on GodTube, drawing 3.5 million viewers during the recent presidential election. Advent produces on the “Sherwood” model of extensive volunteer help, donated locations, learn-as-you-go filmmaking, high standards, and considerable “prayer coverage.” Sherwood Pictures is the Georgia-based church whose 2008 Fireproof, produced for $500,000, earned $33 million at the box office and was the year’s top-grossing independent film.
Close to the 36th anniversary of the US Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade, COME WHAT MAY is Paperchase meets Facing the Giants, a love story and courtroom thriller turning on a counterargument the filmmakers believe may one day overturn the Court’s decision.
PHC students and faculty helped develop the story and polish the script. Manny Edwards wrote the first draft and worked on all subsequent drafts—as did David Hallbrook, Pulitzer Prize nominee and PHC director of communications. Dr. Michael Farris, a constitutional attorney, founder and chancellor of PHC, wrote the legal brief for overturning Roe.
Matthew Staver, dean of Liberty University Law School and a close friend of Dr. Farris, gave permission to film COME WHAT MAY at Liberty’s new replica of the U.S. Supreme Court.
A core team of 40 home-schooled students from 16 states worked on the movie, tapping into speech and debate clubs for home schoolers, in particular the NCFCA league (www.ncfca.org). “That’s our ‘secret sauce,’” Escobar said. “The NCFCA is the third-largest speech and debate league in the country, created exclusively by and for high school home schoolers. Graduates from NCFCA dominate college debate tournaments.”
COME WHAT MAY won the Redemptive Storyteller Award, at an international festival. Several COME WHAT MAY crew members have won prestigious awards for their own films following their AFG internship. And new opportunities abound: “We’re already considering new projects,” Escobar said.
Nashville-based Provident Films, specializing in grassroots marketing, is a division of Provident Music Group and designed to produce and distribute faith-based films. Provident Music Group, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, is one of the world’s leading Christian entertainment companies. Provident Music Group operates under the umbrella of Sony Music Nashville and comprises Provident Label Group, Provident Films (designed to produce and distribute faith-based films), Essential Music Publishing and Provident-Integrity Distribution.