The ‘Best of Festival’ Jubilee Award — with its $101,000 cash prize — went to The Dropbox, a 72-minute documentary directed by 22-year-old Brian Ivie that chronicles the loving sacrifice of a Korean Pastor named Lee Jong-rak who built a wooden hatch on the side of his house in 2009 to collect disabled, unwanted babies. Ivie heard about Pastor Jong-rak’s efforts through a Los Angeles Times article and was determined to document the pastor’s story in the hopes of bringing him support.

The six judges for the SAICFF were so moved by Ivie’s vision — originally outlined in a Kickstarter Campaign and then brought to fruition through his film — that they each came to the podium when the award was given to explain why this documentary was chosen for ‘Best of Festival.’

Judge Stephen Kendrick, producer of such films as Fireproof and Courageous, stated: “We [as the judges] talked about how Nehemiah heard about the walls being broken down and was so broken by it that he said, ‘I must go and do something about that.’ . . . Many times, we are moved with compassion and do nothing. [Brian] saw an article and said, ‘I am going to run to the battle.’”

Judge Curtis Bowers, who won ‘Best of Festival’ in 2010 for his film Agenda, remarked: “We saw in this young man someone who loved life so much; that loved the truth; that was willing to defend those that no one cares about and wants to get rid of. If he’s that passionate about that in a movie that he didn’t know if it’s ever going to make money or not . . . we could tell: That’s a young man we want to invest in, because he’s going to change the world with his films.”

Ivie, who came to Christ while producing The Dropbox, shared these pointed words upon receiving the SAICFF’s grand prize: “. . . I deified movies for 21 years of my life, and I made them my god, and it failed me. I’m done with that story. I’m done with that idol. And I promise in the fear of God that I will steward this investment, because I would rather tell the plainest truth with $100,000 than the most sophisticated technological lie with ten million dollars or one hundred million dollars.”

The film was also honored with ‘Best Sanctity of Life’ Award earlier during the ceremony, prompting these remarks from the film’s director, “[I saw] all these kids come through this dropbox with deformities and disabilities, and eventually — like a heaven flash — I realized that I was one of those kids too; that I have a crooked soul, and God is a father who loves me still.”

Ives further commented: “This world is so much about self-reliance and self-esteem, self-worth, and these kids . . . can’t be self-reliant, because they have these disabilities. The total illusion is that we can be self-reliant, because we rely on God for every breath that we take. And the day that we stop realizing that we are disabled is the day that we stop fighting for Christ as the only one who enables.”

The top honor in the ‘Best Feature Film’ category went to Return to the Hiding Place. The film — directed by Peter Spencer and produced by his daughter Petra Pearce — is set in Holland during WWII and follows Corrie ten Boom’s army of untrained teenagers as they navigate a deadly labyrinth of challenges to rescue the Jewish people. Return to the Hiding Place also garnered the Audience Choice Award and was runner-up for ‘Best of Festival.’

Upon receiving these honors, Spencer explained that the persecution of Christians in our own time compelled him and his family to make this film about persecution during the Second World War: “175,000 of our precious brothers and sisters will give their lives for Jesus Christ this year. We want[ed] to do this in remembrance of the martyrs of the faith.”

The Pink Room, a gripping expose of the sex slavery of young girls in Cambodia, garnered the ‘Best Documentary’ Award. Director Joel Sandvos, who received the honor, put the project into context: “The Pink Room started in 2008, and it was never just a story. It was about exposing the problem, the atrocities that are happening in Cambodia to little children. It was about bringing solutions. It was about raising awareness and support for those who are doing it. On behalf of heroic women like Mien and those still trapped [through] sex trafficking, and organizations like Agape International Missions, we humbly accept this.”

The ‘Best Short Film’ Award was given to Useless, an 11-minute film based on Philemon 1:10–11. Written and directed by Brandon Adams, the film short previously won ‘Best Film’ at the 168 Project.

In winning ‘Best Short Film’ at the SAICFF, the film’s director automatically received a $250,000 opportunity to produce a feature film with Echolight Studios who sponsored this Jubilee Award category. Bobby Downes, President of Echolight, explained their vision in partnering with the SAICFF for this commendation.

“Storytellers have shaped our society in the way that we think for all of recorded history. . . . Stories are used for teaching, for entertainment, for passing on old knowledge and wisdom,” noted Downes.

“Tonight, Echolight is going to do something about encouraging storytellers. We believe that supporting this generation of Christians making movies will have a significant impact on lives in the years to come, so we are planting a seed here tonight by awarding the winner of the Jubilee Award for Short Film with $250,000 as an opportunity to make a movie with Echolight Studios and get worldwide distribution.

“The message is this: Those who are faithful in the little things will be better equipped to pursue bigger projects.”

Downes then passed the baton to special guest Sen. Rick Santorum, who presented the award on Echolight’s behalf: “It is my honor to be here with Echolight. I’m excited about them and what they’re doing, trying to nurture and build, to create a real powerful portal for this industry.”

Santorum also commended the SAICFF and the filmmakers in attendance for their important labors in the culture wars: “You are the ones who shape the culture, and Washington, D.C. is simply a reflection of that. So I just wanted to come here to encourage you and to thank you. . . . This country needs you. . . . [I] think that really great things are going to come in the darkest times and be lit . . . from this festival.”

Boo Arnold, one of the two lead actors in Useless, received the award on behalf of Brandon Adams, who directed the film, but who was unable to attend due to the recent birth of his son who was born five weeks early. Sizemore read a statement Adams texted him when he learned he had won this award.

“Thank you for this tremendous honor and opportunity,” wrote Adams. “I have spent the last ten years seeking to learn how to create art that glorifies God, which has included cultivating my craft; but, more importantly, growing in the grace and knowledge of my Redeemer. My hope is to express the work that Christ has done in us and in history through the medium of film, with the prayer that Christ will be exalted over all things. And this award and prize has granted the opportunity to do so.”

The ‘Best Promotional Media’ Award went to The Lamplighter Guild, a 5-minute film that explains the vision of this one-week art school founded by Mark Hamby in which students learn the elements of radio theater production, including voice acting, sound design, script writing, music composition, and more from experts in the industry. Producer Phillip Telfer offered these thoughts on receiving the award.

“John-Clay [Burnett] and I are both very grateful for what Doug Phillips and Vision Forum have done to invest in filmmakers,” Telfer said. “When I was invited to attend the [Christian] Filmmakers Academy back in 2007, I had no provision at all for filmmaking. Last year, John-Clay and I, along with Colin Gunn, had a feature documentary film, Captivated. That opened the door for [us] to take some of the things we have been learning here and share it at Mark Hamby’s Lamplighter Guild. So we talked about it and also took that time to make this promotional.”

The Founding Fathers App took home the top honor in the ‘Best Commercial Advertisement’ category. The 60-second spot promotes the Founding Fathers Project, a series of interactive iPad books allowing viewers to interact with and learn about each of the founding fathers. The goal is to teach American children who these great men were and what they did. The film was written, directed, and produced by Preston Cone, Daniel Walsh, and Jeremiah Warren.

Nathaniel and Jonathan Johnson received the ‘Young Filmmakers’ Award for Joseph in Egypt III, a 15-minute film that is the final chapter in their Joseph in Egypt Trilogy, which is told through Lego Stop Motion Animation.

The ‘Best Original Score’ Award was given to The Lost Medallion, a feature film starring Alex Kendrick in which his character, Daniel Anderson, visits a foster home to drop off some donations and is quickly roped into telling the kids a story which transitions into a heart-racing adventure of Billy Stone and Allie. These two teenage friends uncover a long-lost medallion and then accidentally wish themselves back in time as part of an exciting adventure. The Lost Medallion was also the runner-up for ‘Best Feature Film.’

Other winners included Ru: Water is Life, which garnered the runner-up award in the ‘Best Documentary’ category; and Static, which took second place for ‘Best Short Film.’ Runner-up for ‘Best Sanctity of Life’ went to BIRTH CONTROL: How Did We Get Here?; and Indescribable was tapped for second place in the ‘Best Original Score’ category. Mobile Mayhem took the runner-up award for ‘Young Filmmaker’ Award. The ‘Best Treatment’ Award went to Fire and Forgiveness, with Sola Fide getting the second-place nod in this category.

Watch the Jubilee Awards Ceremonies Online!

For the first time ever, the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival broadcast its Jubilee Awards Ceremony live online. Enjoy the full video archive from the ceremony by clicking here.

To schedule interviews with SAICFF founder Doug Phillips and for all other press inquiries related to the festival, contact Wesley Strackbein by e-mail at wesley@visionforum.org or by phone at (210) 340-5250, ext. 222.

In light of this development, the SAICFF has officially extended the deadline for all film submissions for the 2013 Film Festival to October 31 (the feature film deadline remains November 15). Next year’s festival will be held on February 7-9, 2013 at the Gonzalez Convention in San Antonio, Texas, culminating with the Jubilee Awards Ceremony to be hosted the evening of February 9.

“We are thrilled by EchoLight Studios’ sponsorship of our Best Short Film Award,” noted Doug Phillips, founder of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

“This sponsorship is not only a vote of confidence regarding the significance of our festival, but it’s also a boon of enablement for a Christian filmmaker who has demonstrated excellence through a dramatic short film to now be better poised to produce a full-length dramatic feature. This exciting development could well serve as the means to help a Christian filmmaker’s long-term dream come true. The message is this: Those who are faithful in the little things will be better equipped to pursue bigger projects.”

EchoLight Studios is a 21st century studio, producing and distributing family-friendly entertainment. EchoLight has a full film distribution platform servicing theatrical, home video, digital/VOD, and broadcast in both US domestic and international markets. EchoLight’s sponsorship of the Best Short Film Jubilee Award is a new step for their studio as well as for the SAICFF.

“We have long aspired to not only showcase the best in independent Christian filmmaking at our festival, but to actively invest in the movement by helping dedicated Christian filmmakers reach for greater heights in their craft,” Phillips remarked. “One of the ways we’ve done this in past years is through our $101,000 Grand Prize Jubilee Award, and we are now pleased to extend another large financial opportunity to the winner of our Best Short Film Jubilee Award, thanks to EchoLight’s generous sponsorship.”

The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF) and Jubilee Awards was founded by Doug Phillips in 2004 and is held each year in the Alamo City, drawing film submissions from around the world. Among the awards bestowed at each year’s festival are: Best Dramatic Short Film, Best Commercial Advertisement, Best Documentary, Best Promotional Media, and Best Feature Film. To learn more about the film submission categories, entry rules, and how to submit a film, visit the SAICFF website. Submit your film now to compete for the $101,000 Best of Festival Jubilee Award.

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Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.saicff.org

The ‘Best of Festival’ Jubilee Award — with its $101,000 cash prize — went to Courageous, the fourth feature film produced by Sherwood Pictures and the Kendrick Brothers. This cash prize is the largest to be given to an individual filmmaker at an independent film festival in America.

“Courageous is arguably the most successful independent Christian film with a distinctively Evangelical worldview in the history of the cinema,” said Doug Phillips, president and founder of the SAICFF. “With the DVD hitting #1 in sales its first week of release, more than 34 million in box office receipts, and wildly enthusiastic audiences, the Kendrick Brothers have made their mark in history and proven to the world that Christian filmmaking has come of age.”

The Jubilee for ‘Best of Festival’ given to Courageous occurred before an audience of 2,100 just one night before the Hollywood Oscars.

“Our mission is to inspire, encourage, reward and ultimately to build a replacement industry for Hollywood. Too many simply complain about Hollywood’s darkness. Our mission is to light candles of hope by affirming those films that exalt what is true, good, and noble,” noted Phillips.

“This weekend, the Oscars celebrated male perversity by awarding Woody Allen’s escapist libertine romp, Midnight in Paris, and heralding a homosexual ‘coming out’ story in Beginners,” Phillips observed. “In contrast, the Jubilees celebrated male virtue and sacrifice by awarding Courageous with ‘Best of Festival’ and giving the Kendrick Brothers the largest cash prize bestowed by any film festival in America.”

Courageous follows the lives of four police officers who are confident and focused on the job, yet failing as fathers. When tragedy strikes at home, they resolve to draw closer to God and to their children. This 129-minute action-packed drama — which also garnered the ‘Best Feature Film’ Award at the festival — tells the story of everyday dads who long to lead their families as courageous fathers. Stephen Kendrick, who co-produced Courageous with his brother Alex, was on hand to receive both awards.

“I want to take this opportunity, as we made a movie about fatherhood, to honor my father,” Kendrick stated. “He was the chainbreaker in our family . . . and there’s no one who’s had a greater impact on our lives [as] his sons.”

“The motto of [Courageous] was: Dads need to stand up and turn their hearts toward the Lord and say, ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,’” continued Kendrick. “And it was our Dad that taught us to do that, and it’s an honor to pass on that legacy to our children.”

The top honor in the ‘Best Documentary’ category went to Indoctrination, directed by award-winning filmmaker Colin Gunn (Best Political, 2004 SAICFF / Best of Festival, 2007 SAICFF). In Indoctrination, Gunn traveled with his family across America in an old yellow school bus on a quest to uncover the origins and social impact of our modern public school system and gauge it against God’s Word. Featuring interviews with whistleblower teachers, administrators, students, and parents, Indoctrination takes a hard look at the true state of public education in America. The film was also named runner-up for ‘Best of Festival’.

Upon receiving the ‘Best Documentary’ award, Gunn noted that Indoctrination was made for “others out of genuine love for the concerns of children in America. We were so blessed to give this message. And at the end of the film [we] make it clear: The problem with public schools is that [they] drive children away from Christ. And that was the real reason for making this film, and we pray that the Lord was glorified in it.”

Two Hats, a foreign mission documentary which highlights the ministry of Brad and Deborah Wells and their seven children in Papua New Guinea, took home the ‘Best Great Commission’ Award. The film was directed by Andrew Garcia.

“This is an incredible honor,” remarked Garcia, “And I want to start by thanking my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without Him, this film would never have come to be. . . . And then, of course, the missionaries who were in the film . . . and the thousands of missionaries all over the world. Even as we sit here tonight, who are faithfully serving — not with eye-service as men-pleasers — but as unto the Lord. This award is dedicated to them.”

The ‘Best Creation’ Award went to Crying Wolf, an exposé of one of the most covered up big-government and environmental frauds of this generation. The 60-minute film, directed by 18-year-old Jeffrey King, exposes the lies and proclaims the truth about what the movement to bring back wolves to Yellowstone and the rest of America is really about.

“[T]his project wasn’t [fundamentally] about wolves or wolf re-introduction,” explained King, “but about reintroducing to the world biblical concepts of stewardship and dominion.”

The Jester, an 11-minute drama, got the nod for ‘Best Short Film’. The film follows a court jester who, after being banished by the king, finds himself homeless and without a sense of purpose. In his defeat, he discovers hope in hopelessness.

The much-anticipated ‘Audience Choice’ Award was given to Seasons of Gray, an 88-minute film that portrays the life of a modern-day Joseph. Upon receiving the honor, producer and director Paul Stehlik remarked, “Thank you for all of you who took the time to be here to watch the film and take the time to vote.”

“[W]hat we wanted to do [with Seasons of Gray] was to create a film that would be edifying to the believer, that would equip the church with an opportunity to engage culture, and that would allow us to engage the hearts of non-believers with the life-transforming truth of God’s Word,” noted Stehlik. “Our hope [is that] this [film] would be a doorway and opportunity to engage people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

The ‘Best Promotional Media’ Award went to The Promise of Sheboygan County, a 9-minute film that highlights the many positive opportunities that Sheboygan County has to offer to entrepreneurs and families. The promotional piece was produced and directed by Philip and Chris Leclerc of Leclerc Brothers Motion Pictures, who also recently completed production of Dominion, Risk, and Manhood, a series of three dramatic shorts shot in Iceland that promote the Hazardous Journeys Society which was officially launched at the SAICFF last Friday night. This is the second win in a row of this Jubilee Award by the Leclerc Brothers, who won ‘Best Promotional Media’ for The Cripple Effect at the previous festival.

Commenting on their latest award, Philip Leclerc stated: “Sheboygan County is a marvelous example of God’s beautiful creation! This award wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for the entire team at Jake’s Cafe who worked hard on this film, as well as the fine businesses that were highlighted throughout.”

Liberty Day took home the top honor in the ‘Best Commercial Advertisement’ category. The 60-second promo for the annual Liberty Day event held in northern Illinois was received by producer and director Matt Blick. In receiving this honor, 24-year-old Blick hearkened back to encouragement he received several years ago by festival judge Geoff Botkin when Blick was beginning his efforts as a filmmaker, “Do not despise the day of small beginnings.”

Jerica and Joe Henline, who are eighteen and sixteen years of age respectively, received the ‘Young Filmmaker’s’ Award for Lady Jane Gray. The 15-minute film takes viewers through the final hours of this valiant young woman’s life as she is martyred for her faith, uncovering the truth of her magnificent testimony which has been undermined by many liberal historians. Lady Jane Gray was also named runner-up for ‘Best Short Film’.

Other winners included Captivated: Finding Freedom in a Media Captive Culture, which garnered the runner-up award in the ‘Best Documentary’ category; and Seven Days in Utopia, which took second place for ‘Best Feature’. Runner-up for ‘Best Great Commission’ went to The Karen: Forgotten But Not Forsaken; and Check This Out was tapped for second place in the ‘Best Creation’ category. Gold Rush took the runner-up award for ‘Promotional Media’, as did Berger Bullets for ‘Best Commercial Advertisement’. Shad Eash was given a second-place nod for ‘Best Young Filmmaker’ for his 8-minute film, I Don’t Believe in Guns; and Philip Hagen won the ‘Best SAICFF Trailer’ Award for his 30-second submission, ‘Light Up the Darkness’.

Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.saicff.org

Mr. Bowers is a former Idaho state representative, businessman, husband to Lauren, and father of six precious children, as well as the producer and director of Agenda: Grinding America Down, the 2010 SAICFF $101,000 Grand Prize winner.

“By selecting Curtis Bowers as a judge for the 2012 SAICFF, we hope to send a message of encouragement to the community of independent Christian filmmakers that excellence pays off,” remarked Doug Phillips, president of Vision Forum Ministries and founder of the SAICFF. “Curtis is a distinguished leader and first-time filmmaker who swept the 2010 festival by storm with his outstanding documentary accomplishment, his personal character, and hid family commitment. He will make an excellent and fair judge.”

Mr. Bowers’ 2010 independent Christian film Agenda traces the alive-and-well socialist agenda from its roots established by Karl Marx and other radical revolutionaries to the present day, demonstrating how Communist ideals have largely captured America and uprooted the once-great foundation of our nation. Representative Bowers, an alumnus of the Christian Filmmakers Academy, resides in Idaho with his family. Agenda has sold more than 85,000 units since winning Best of Festival.

Mr. Bowers will also serve as a guest speaker at the Christian Filmmakers Academy (CFA), America’s premiere training institute for equipping the next generation of independent Christian filmmakers. His message will be “How a First-time Filmmaker Sold More than 85,000 Copies of his Documentary in One Year.” The CFA will be held in San Antonio on February 20-22.“

“For three reasons, this year’s festival is shaping up to be the most dynamic and culture-challenging to date,” Phillips stated. “First, our films represent the best quality in the history of independent Christian filmmaking. Second, the films are substantial, meaning that they cover a broad range of provocative and timely subjects of concern to the family, to freedom loving Americans, and to all who want to help rescue art and culture from the morass of darkness and negativity which dominates the Hollywood landscape. Finally, this year it will be clear that the independent Christian filmmaking has come of age.”

Approximately 200 films were submitted to this year’s SAICFF. To register for the Christian Filmmakers Academy and the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival visit, www.independentchristianfilms.com.

For press inquiries, contact Wesley Strackbein by e-mail at wesley@visionforum.com or by phone at (210) 340-5250, ext. 222.

We are pleased to announce that we are now accepting film, treatment and score entries for the 2012 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival held February 23-25, 2012. Make history as we stand together in furtherance of distinctively biblical, independent Christian filmmaking. Submit your entries for the opportunity to become a semi-finalist and compete for the largest single cash prize in America for any film festival, and the largest single festival prize ever given to an independent Christian filmmaker — the $101,000 Best of Festival Jubilee Award!

Film Submission Pricing & Deadline Information

Early Bird Deadline: August 15th, 2011
Regular Deadline:
Feature Films: October 31st, 2011
All Others: September 30th, 2011

Before submitting, we encourage all applicants to please carefully read the Festival Objectives & Contest Guidelines, as well as the Entry Rules.

Learn More About Pricing , Details and How to Submit Your Entry!

“Our goal with the Jubilee Awards is to reward the work of Christian filmmakers who have artfully communicated a Christian worldview through their film production,” explained Doug Phillips, founder of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

“Thanks to aid of a private foundation, we are pleased to give the single largest cash prize of any film festival in America, as well as to honor the other fine winners at the 2010 festival.”

The ‘Best of Festival’ Jubilee Award — with its $101,000 cash prize — went to Agenda: Grinding America Down, a documentary that traces the alive-and-well socialist agenda from its roots established by Karl Marx and other radical revolutionaries to the present day, demonstrating how that Communist ideals have largely captured America and uprooted the once-great foundation of our nation. The 92-minute film was produced and directed by former Idaho legislator Curtis Bowers.

“It is such an honor to receive the award for ‘Best of Festival,’” Bowers stated.

“I want to thank Vision Forum, and I want to thank Doug Phillips for the vision he has had to not only create Vision Forum that has motivated us and driven us to be better home schoolers, to be better parents, to be bonded with our children, but then the Film Festival,” continued Bowers. “I would never have made a film in my life if I had not come to the ... [Christian] Filmmakers Academy and [San Antonio Independent Christian] Film Festival just last year. I was so motivated and so inspired by what they said and what they taught us.

“They made me realize how important this is: how powerful media can be, and how important it is that we be involved in [this arena].”

Representative Bowers, an alumni of the Christian Filmmakers Academy, was inspired to produce Agenda after a “Letter to the Editor” he penned about the drastic changes in America’s culture became the feature story on the evening news and prompted protests at the Idaho State Capitol.

Bowers dedicated the award to his children, relating a poignant account of how his children have prayed for him since the day he shared with his family his goal to produce this documentary.

“That night when we were going to bed, I remember ... when [my son Christian] prayed, he said, ‘Dear God, help Papa’s film to win the Festival,’” observed Bowers. “Every single Friday since that Festival, my children have voluntarily fasted and prayed that Daddy wins the festival. And that is the only reason I am standing up here. I am not capable of making a movie.

“Kids, I am giving this to you, so you’ll always remember God does answer prayers.”

The top honor in the ‘Best Feature Film’ category was awarded to The Penny, a drama/thriller directed and produced by Nathan Webster of Filmweavers. The 88-minute film follows a series of disconnected strangers whose lives unexpectedly collide in what proves to be more than just a coincidence.

“We are both honored and humbled to have won this award,” stated Webster. “A feature film is no small undertaking, and we were very blessed to have an incredible team of cast and crew, many of whom we met at this festival in previous years. The SAICFF has been a great encouragement to us and a wonderful place to network with other talented filmmakers who share our beliefs. Our prayer is that this will be a springboard to reach many more audiences.”

George Washington Carver: An Uncommon Way, a stimulating documentary that traces the valiant life of Carver, garnered the ‘Best Documentary’ Award at the festival. The film, narrated by Dr. Voddie Baucham, was directed and produced by Ken Carpenter of Franklin Springs Family Media. This marks Carpenter’s third ‘Best Documentary’ Jubilee Award, who took home a Jubilee for The Terry Schiavo Story in 2009 and A Journey Home in 2005.

“Being honored with a Jubilee Award is very gratifying,” Carpenter noted. “The ideals of this festival resonate deeply with me, particularly those that encourage the telling of stories that provide hope and inspiration to audiences.”

The top honor in the ‘Best Dramatic Short’ category was awarded to The Mitt, a ten-minute film produced and directed by 19-year-old Sam Siske of Goodlettsville, Tennessee. “I was totally surprised to win this award,” remarked Siske. “And I give God all the glory.”

The much-anticipated Audience Choice Award went to The Runner from Ravenshead, a delightful film from Little Crew Studios that features an all-child cast played by the Seege children, ages 3 to 11. Their father, Joel Seege wrote, directed, and produced the film. The Runner from Ravenshead also got the runner-up nod in two other award categories: ‘Best of Festival’ and ‘Best Feature’.

“For sometime now it has been our family’s hope to do a business together, and to do something that would point others to Jesus Christ,” Seege remarked. “The Runner from Ravenshead project was the culmination of those ideas, and our first foray into the world of filmmaking. As a family we were truly overwhelmed and humbled by the support of the audience, not only with the audience choice award, but with the many kind words and encouragement from both the attendees and other filmmakers.”

The ‘Best Promotional Media’ Award went to The Cripple Effect, a twenty-four-minute film that highlights the state of Wisconsin’s remarkable heritage with trains which is now being jeopardized by an aging rail system never designed for the weight of modern trains. The promotional piece was produced and directed by Philip and Chris Leclerc of Leclerc Brothers Motion Pictures, who also produced Divided, a documentary on the danger of modern youth ministry which premiered at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival last Thursday night.

Seventeen-year-old Christy Miller received the ‘Young Filmmaker’s’ Award for Small Talents, a fourteen-minute film which she directed and produced. This humorous short film is based on the Parable of the Talents and challenges viewers to decide for themselves how they will dedicate their talents to God.

The ‘Best Treatment’ Award — an honor given for the best three-page written condensation of a proposed film, documentary, or TV dramatic production — went to Elizabeth Rouse for her proposed film, The Legacy. The winner received a $1,000 cash prize, a professional script analysis of the finished script based on the winning treatment, and a free copy of Final Draft screenwriting software.

Jeremiah Warren, who won ‘Best Trailer’ at last year’s festival, took home the ‘Best Commercial Advertisement’ Award for a spot he created to promo the new book, Pajama School. Eighteen-year-old Warren also took the runner-up award in this category for an ad he produced for KeepGoing.Biz.

Other winners included Dispatches from the Front: A Bold Advance, which garnered the runner-up award in the ‘Best Documentary’ category; and Accountable, which took second place for ‘Best Short Film’. Runner-up for ‘Best Young Filmmaker’ went to Legacy of Love, and Clarissa Belbas was tapped for second place in the ‘Best Treatment’ category for her proposed film, The Scattering.

Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.saicff.org

“We’re pleased to be featuring a sneak preview of Ace Wonder to our audience tonight,” stated Doug Phillips, founder of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. “It’s a joy to see the filmmakers who we honored last year with our Best of Festival Award go right back to work and reach for greater heights with this impressive new film.”

Ace Wonder follows the adventure of a boy detective who is struggling to find a storyline for his latest novel. When his path tangles with Derek Morton, a simple family mystery becomes a very real case of corporate espionage, scientific discovery, and one coldblooded killer.

Ace Wonder is one of more than fifty films showing on four screens as part of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, which runs October 28-30 in the Alamo City. The film screenings and special entertainment are being held in downtown San Antonio at the Gonzalez Convention Center and the Municipal Auditorium.

“We are blessed to see real growth in the independent Christian film movement since we launched the film festival in 2004,” remarked Doug Phillips. “The families spearheading HeuMoore Productions are one example among many who are striving to engage the culture through film with God-honoring stories that are told with artistic excellence. A new generation of filmmakers is emerging outside Hollywood ready to claim the moral high ground through well-crafted films, rather than follow the destructive values of Tinseltown.”

At the festival’s annual Jubilee Awards, which closes out the event on Saturday, awards will be given in several categories, including ‘Best Dramatic Short’, ‘Best Documentary’, ‘Best Feature Film’, along with their $101,000 ‘Best of Festival’ Award, which is the largest single cash prize given by any film festival in America.

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Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.saicff.org

“The distinction between Hollywood’s toxic culture of death and the burgeoning Christian film movement of life was highlighted in bold this weekend,” noted Doug Phillips, founder of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

“On the one hand, the world watched as Sean Penn accepted the “Best Male Actor” award by the Academy for his portrayal of homosexual activist Harvey Milk, even as Kate Winslet received the “Best Female Actor” trophy for her performance in The Reader, a pornographic story about a female Nazi war criminal seducing a fifteen-year-old boy.

“On the other hand, hours before the Oscars commenced, NPR broadcast a feature story highlighting the efforts of the SAICFF to showcase and reward hopeful films that honor Christ — films made completely outside Hollywood.”

NPR Religion correspondent Barbara Bradley Hagerty opened her story, entitled “Christian Filmmakers Creating an Industry of Faith,” with this probing question: “What was the biggest grossing independent film in 2008? No, not Slumdog Millionaire. Not Milk. It was a movie you’ve probably never heard of.”

Describing the efforts of the SAICFF, Hagerty went on to observe: “As Hollywood crowns its favorite movies and actors at the Oscars on Sunday, another group is trying to create a rival movie industry. Fed up with sex and violence in mainstream entertainment, conservative Christians are turning out their own films. And they’ve made surprising inroads.”

Phillips remarked: “Those who tuned in to this years’ Academy Awards watched as Oscar winners Dustin Lance Black and Sean Penn promoted homosexual political activism and encouraged teenagers to pursue a homosexual lifestyle as they accepted their awards from the Academy for the role that they played in Milk.

“Those who attended our recent festival saw films rewarded that build up rather than tear down the family — independent films such as Fireproof that outsold Milk in theatres by a wide margin.

Continued Phillips: “Even as Hollywood fails, the Christian filmmaking is prevailing in exalting virtue, and the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival is helping to lead the way in this important cultural reformation of the arts. And we are thankful that NPR has highlighted this important trend.”

To listen to the NPR story, “Christian Filmmakers Creating an Industry of Faith,” click here.

To learn more about the work of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival with its $101,000 Grand Prize Jubilee Award — the single-largest cash prize given by any film festival in the US — visit www.independentchristianfilms.com.

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Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.independentchristianfilms.com

SAN ANTONIO, TX — January 13, 2009 — The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF), held this last weekend in the Alamo City, presented actor Dean Jones with a Lifetime Achievement Award before a capacity crowd at the Lila Cockrell Theatre. Ken Wales, producer of Amazing Grace, the 2007 film on the life of William Wilberforce, introduced the award to Mr. Jones on behalf of the festival.

“I wouldn’t trade this for an Oscar,” remarked Jones upon receiving the special Jubilee Award. Jones has played in 46 films and 5 Broadway shows over his career of more than half a century, including 10 films with Disney, 6 of which are on Variety’s all-time hit list. His best-known role is that of racecar driver Jim Douglas in The Love Bug. In more recent years, he has appeared in such films as Beethoven and Clear and Present Danger.

The special presentation in honor of Mr. Jones followed on the heels of the world premiere of Abraham and Isaac, a short film by Crown Financial Ministries which brings to life the biblical epic of Abraham’s call to give up his own son. Jones plays the lead role of Abraham in the new film.

Doug Phillips, founder of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, set the stage for the award before inviting Ken Wales to make the final introduction: “Tonight we gather to honor veteran actor, Mr. Dean Jones,” Phillips stated. “Dean has touched the hearts of millions with his talents and gifts through film, but at the age of 78 he is best remembered today as a follower of Christ, a defender of the family — a man who is finishing his race strong by using his gifts to draw men all over the world closer to the Lord.”

Ken Wales, producer of the film Amazing Grace and the Christi series, then took to the podium to offer tribute to his friend of more than fifty years. Jones and Wales appeared in several films together in the 1950s, including Imitation General and Torpedo Run. During the filming of Torpedo Run — which starred Glenn Ford and Ernest Borgnine — Jones saved the life of Wales during a near-catastrophe when Wales got trapped underwater on the movie set.

“Dean reached down and [motioning to Glen Ford] pointed to me underwater twenty-five feet below, and they suddenly realized I was in trouble, and they pushed me to the top. And out flowed three gallons of water,” Wales reflected. “So I owe him directly my life. But Dean knows that our lives are more serious than making motion pictures, because he knows that a dedicated life to God and His son Jesus Christ is paramount in telling stories that are redemptive.

“As I introduce this [video] tribute to you,” Wales continued, “I want you to realize the depth of this fine person, the sacrifices he has made — even to the point of abuse by an industry that just doesn’t care about God — to stand straight, to run the good race, to be a true man of God — a man whose life is dedicated to telling great stories.”

As he accepted the Lifetime Achievement Jubilee Award, Mr. Jones offered hopeful words regarding the rising independent Christian film movement:

“There is a curtain on stage, and it is down in front of all of us tonight,” Jones remarked. “And I believe it is going to rise soon, and there will be Christian people that have expertise in Christian filmmaking who become an anecdote to the horrors of our culture today.

“A change is coming,” Jones continued. “It’s a matter of time until one or two of ten of them in North Carolina or Utah or Texas catch hold of Walt [Disney]’s pattern and bring some quality work to the fore…. [They] are going to be doing films that will once again give an occasion for the children and dads and moms to gather together in a theater or around a television and see something that brings them together, that teaches them to love one another — films of quality, films of morality.”

In a separate lecture for students of the Christian Filmmakers Academy (CFA) held during the festival, Mr. Jones urged the students to make Christ-honoring films outside Hollywood: “If you want a job, do what I did: work for other people for 50 years, but the odds of you getting swallowed up by the blasphemous godless, decadent, deadly spirit of today’s show business are thousands to one.

“But there’s a better way — Walt’s way,” followed Jones. “And the pattern will still work: the pattern of keeping control out of the hands of the godless spirit of the age; of setting standards of excellence; of developing your own means of distribution.”

CFA founder Doug Phillips observed: “Dean Jones is emerging as the elder statesmen of independent Christian filmmakers. With a robust Hollywood career behind him, he recognizes the dangerous influence of Hollywood and is urging the next generation of filmmakers to take a different path — a visionary, Christ-centered path outside of Hollywood, one that allows Christian filmmakers to call the shots and make films that honor Christ because they embody a biblical worldview.”

Concluded Phillips: “His work in St. John in Exile — and most recently in Abraham and Isaac — are two examples of how he is modeling this new vision.”

The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF) was held January 8-10 at the Gonzalez Convention in downtown San Antonio. The SAICFF is host to the largest single film festival grand prize of its kind in America — the $101,000 Best of Festival Jubilee Award — which was awarded this year to The Widow’s Might, a feature-length comedy adventure. In addition to Dean Jones, special guests at this year’s festival included Fireproof’s producer Stephen Kendrick as well as actor Kirk Cameron.

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To download Dean Jones, “I wouldn’t trade this for an Oscar” audio clip, click here

Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.independentchristianfilms.com

“Our goal with the Jubilee Awards is to reward the work of Christian filmmakers who have artfully communicated a Christian worldview through their film production,” explained Doug Phillips, founder of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

“Thanks to aid of a private foundation, we are pleased this year to give the single largest cash prize of any film festival in America, as well as to honor the other fine winners at the 2009 festival.”

The “Best of Festival” Jubilee Award — with its $101,000 cash prize — went to The Widow’s Might, a feature length comedy adventure that tells the fictional story of how aspiring filmmakers came to the aid of an elderly widow who faced losing her home due to rising property taxes. The 101-minute film was written and directed by 19-year-old John Moore of Kaufman, Texas, with David Heustis and Jeff Moreland serving as producers.

“We never saw this coming!” said John Moore. ”The greatest lesson we have learned at this event over the years is to press on; keep moving forward. Always pursue excellence. The production was very tough; but it brought our families together, and we’re even closer now than ever. I dedicate this award to my father, the most inspiring man I have ever known.”

In addition to landing the festivals’ top honor in 2009, The Widow’s Might was runner-up for “Best Feature” and came away with the “Audience Choice Award,” receiving more than twice the votes of the closest contender. This marked the third time in four years that a film by HeuMoore Productions was voted as the audience favorite at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

The top honor in the “Best Feature Film” category was awarded to Fireproof, a film starring Kirk Cameron that explores a firefighter’s struggle to save his failing marriage. Fireproof — which was written, produced, and directed by Alex and Stephen Kendrick of Sherwood Pictures — was the highest-grossing independent film of 2008 with over $33 million in theatre sales, beating out such films as Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona (starring Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz), and Milk, starring Sean Penn. The film also received the runner-up nod for “Best of Festival.”

Stephen Kendrick, who was on hand in the Alamo City to receive the award, noted, “Sherwood Pictures is thrilled that Fireproof has won ‘Best Feature’ at a film festival that not only seeks to honor the pursuit of high production values, but also morally responsible filmmaking.”

The Terri Schiavo Story, a two-part television series that follows the Schindler family’s long and highly emotional struggle to save their daughter’s life, garnered the “Best Documentary” Award. The film, hosted by Joni Eareckson Tada, was directed and produced by Ken Carpenter of Franklin Films.

“This festival is a uniquely inspiring event, and I‘m a big proponent of the type of film work they are encouraging,” stated Carpenter. “To have been honored with a Jubilee Award was a great conclusion to a fantastic festival experience.”

The top honor in the “Best Dramatic Short” category was awarded to Prodigal Trilogy, a cinematic adaptation of acclaimed solo performer Jason Hildebrand’s monologues based on the Luke 15 parable of Jesus in the Bible.

The “Best Biblical Family” Award went to Binding Faith, an eighteen-minute documentary that chronicles the persecution that Christian missionary and minister, Dr. Ajai Lall, encountered when he sought to share his faith in northern India. Dondra Vaughn, who produced the film, received the award on behalf of the project.

The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry took the top honor for “Best Original Score.” Veteran film producer, Rich Christiano, who directed and produced the full-length feature, praised the film’s composer upon receiving the award: “One of the most important characters in any film is the music. Jasper Randall has done excellent work with his original score of The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry…. [W]e are thankful to have him on our team.”

Thirteen-year-old Peyton Thomas received the “Young Filmmaker’s” Award for Journey of Hope, a nine-minute film which he directed and produced. The film tells the true story of Charles Loring Brace, a young minister who created the Children’s Aid Society to provide safety and love to the children on the streets on New York City.

Noah’s Ark: Thinking Outside the Box — a film featuring Ark specialist Tim Lovett — took the top honor in the “Best Creation” category. The film, produced by Answers in Genesis, applies new research to the contours of the Ark while maintaining an unwavering commitment to the Word of God. Dale Mason, publisher of Answers magazine and Vice President of Communications Division for AiG, commented:

“On behalf of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum, we are so very thankful for the vote of confidence that this Jubilee Award represents. Even more than that, we are humbled to be part of what God is doing to propagate the truth of Creation, especially to homeschool families.”

The “Best Treatment” Award — an honor given for the best three-page written condensation of a proposed film, documentary, or TV dramatic production — went to Kevin Powers for his proposed film, Sandtown. The winner received a $1,000 cash prize, a professional script analysis of the finished script based on the winning treatment, and a free copy of Final Draft screenwriting software.

Second and third place awards in the “Best Treatment” category went to Chuck Fultz for In Plain Site and Kevin Powers for Elk Valley.

Other winners included: The Widow and the Judge, which garnered the runner-up award in the “Best Dramatic Short” category; and The Full House of Blessing, which took second place in the “Best Documentary” category.

The “Best Trailer” Award, an honor for the trailer that best promoted the festival, went to Jeremiah Warren for Changing Lives.

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Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.independentchristianfilms.com

“For years, independent Christian filmmakers have struggled to find financially viable distribution streams for their films,” noted Doug Phillips, founder of the SAICFF. “We are pleased to announce that an important step has been taken to meet this challenge through Behemoth.com’s download store.”

Behemoth.com is a large-scale, cost-effective download venue for customers of all ages, featuring trustworthy, downloadable audio and video content for the Christian family. Twenty-two of the fifty films competing in the 2009 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival are available starting today for purchase on Behemoth.com.

“Those filmmakers who have chosen to pursue a relationship with Behemoth.com have their films available for sale as the festival gets underway today. Regardless of whether or not these filmmakers win a festival prize this weekend, they will be granted the opportunity to receive an immediate reward for their investment,” Phillips explained. “If a festival attendee views a film and likes it, they can log onto Behemoth.com and download their film — right then, right there.”

“This is another important way that independent filmmakers can begin to realize a return on their labors,” Phillips concluded. “It is a process that we are pleased to facilitate — to reward those hard-working independent Christian filmmakers who have produced a quality product that the SAICFF has recognized.”

The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF) will be held January 8-10 at the Gonzalez Convention in downtown San Antonio. The SAICFF is host to the largest single film festival grand prize of its kind in America — the $101,000 Best of Festival Jubilee Award — and will be screening 50 film finalist and semi-finalists over the three-day event. Special guests at this year’s festival will include Fireproof’s producer Stephen Kendrick as well as actors, Kirk Cameron and Dean Jones.

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Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.independentchristianfilms.com

“In 2008, Sci-Fi rocketed out of the basement to become a sci-cult phenomenon that is significant to the cultural history of the United States,” noted Doug Phillips, founder of the Christian Filmmakers Academy. “And movies are just the tip of the rocket. Fictional science in the billion-dollar video gaming, computer gaming, comic book and cable TV world is changing the thinking of an entire generation.”

The “Symposium on Science Fiction and Christian Filmmaking” will focus on the theology of Science Fiction, analyzing how the worldview conveyed through Sci-Fi films has shaped cultural priorities.

“Sci-Fi movies of the last fifty years have provided America with more than Hollywood entertainment,” Phillips remarked. “The popular genre has been responsible for persuading American thrill-and-chill-seekers that fictional speculation is reality — especially in regard to the creation of the universe, life on earth, and the ‘certainty’ of extraterrestrial life.”

The Symposium will examine this remarkable transformation of fiction into perceived “fact” and explore ways Christian filmmakers can reestablish responsibility in the genre and more carefully and truthfully examine the topics of Creation, time and eternity, the human soul, and the grand potential of science and technology.

“A filmmaker’s worldview may be more clearly seen in this genre than any other,” observed Geoff Botkin, senior faculty member at the Academy. “When he addresses the future, we know exactly what he thinks about man, God, philosophy, and time. When he addresses the moral challenges of technology, we know what he thinks about right and wrong. Some creators of Science Fiction find it a great vehicle to articulate their most serious ideas about politics, God, and social theory.”

The Symposium will trace the history of the genre and the literary sources of its influence and then analyze its impact on American life, thought and culture. Filmmakers will learn ways to approach and use the genre sensibly and maturely.

The Christian Filmmakers Academy, a project of Vision Forum Ministries, is a technical bootcamp for aspiring culture-changers to be held January 5-7 in San Antonio, Texas. Students will learn principles of scripting, casting, writing, directing, and marketing a Christian film — along with intense Christian worldview instruction. Each year, Vision Forum also hosts the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival and Jubilee Awards which showcases the best in Christian films. This year’s festival, to be held January 8-10, will award a $101,000 grand prize — the single largest cash award given by any film festival in the US.

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Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.independentchristianfilms.com

“We are pleased to welcome Dean Jones and the leadership of Crown Financial Ministries to our festival for the launch of this powerful new film,” noted Doug Phillips, founder of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. “The forging of Dean Jones’ great acting with Crown Financial Ministries’ bold vision to bring to the screen key stories from the Bible has resulted in an exceptional film. Abraham and Isaac is a real treasure, and we are honored to be featuring it as part of a special evening that will introduce Crown Financial Ministries’ labors in filmmaking to a broader audience.”

Dean Jones, who has headlined numerous Broadway productions as well as six of Disney’s biggest box-office hits (including The Love Bug), stars as the patriarch Abraham in the new film.

“Dean Jones has captivated Broadway and Hollywood audiences for years through his celebrated performances,” observed Phillips. “He is a real class act whose faith in Christ has led him to take on biblical roles in such films as St. John in Exile — and now the lead role in Abraham and Isaac. We look forward to having Dean with us as our guest as we premiere this project at the festival.”

Abraham and Isaac is part of “Hope and A Future: A Crown Financial Ministries Short Film Series.” Crown Financial Ministries, formerly led by financial author and radio host Larry Burkett, who passed away in 2003, got involved in filmmaking in 2007 after witnessing how many third world countries learn through storytelling. Chuck Bentley, Crown’s CEO, explained:

“Our goal for the films in the ‘Hope and A Future’ series is to engage hearts worldwide through the tool of visual media storytelling, sharing God’s financial principles with the world’s population who cannot read as well as visual learners in the most modern parts of the world,” Bentley remarked.

“Abraham and Isaac is an integral part of our new teaching series, and we are honored to be coming to the Alamo City to introduce this film as part of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.”

The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF) will be held January 8-10 at the Gonzalez Convention in downtown San Antonio. The SAICFF is host to the largest single film festival grand prize of its kind in America — the $101,000 Best of Festival Jubilee Award — and will be screening 50 film finalist and semi-finalists over the three-day event. Other special guests at this year’s festival will include Fireproof’s producer Stephen Kendrick as well as actor, Kirk Cameron.

###

Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.independentchristianfilms.com

“After an intense period of judging, we are delighted to select our fifty finalists and semi-finalists for this year’s competition,” noted Doug Phillips, founder of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. “These fifty films were narrowed down from a field of 250 entries we received — nearly double the number of film submissions of any previous year,” Phillips observed. “All told, the collective production budgets for these films are in the tens of millions of dollars.”

“Careful analysis was brought to bear during the decision-making process.” Phillips explained. “Each of the films was evaluated in terms of its biblical worldview, holiness in presentation, production values, wise and creative use of available technological resources, and consistency with our film festival objectives and guidelines.”

The SAICFF has selected eight finalists to compete for the feature film award — a new award category that was introduced for the 2009 festival. The feature film finalists, chosen from a pool of fifty full-length film entries, include several widely-distributed independent Christian films such as Fireproof and Expelled.

Other feature finalists include Pendragon, an epic historical adventure that communicates the message of biblical honor in the context of an Arthurian legend; and The Widow’s Might, a comedic drama that reveals the importance of the biblical family, care for widows, and the problem with statism. Throw a Few Things on the Ground, a foreign film from Togo, is a feature finalist that will expose American audiences to the stark antithesis between Christianity and fetishism in the context of one boy’s journey from idolatry to Christ. Rounding out the finalist list are The Sound of a Dirt Road, a tale of love, honor, and generational faithfulness; and Pilgrim’s Progress, a modern retelling of the classic story of true commitment to Christ.

Forty-two semi-finalist films, spanning multiple award categories, have also been chosen.

The Best Documentary semi-finalists include such offerings as An American Adventure, a high-definition film tracing the life of 82-year-old Jimmy Gentry through the Great Depression, his service in WWII, and his experiences liberating the Dachau concentration camp; and Binding Faith, a film about Christian persecution taking place in India — along with ten other documentary films.

The Best Dramatic Film Short competition will feature eighteen films in all including, Hidden Treasure, The Other Son, and The Widow and Judge — three modern day parables that bring the Bible stories to life in a new way. Other dramatic film short semi-finalists include Coppelius and Dialtone, two films that force questions of faith in the context of a life-altering decision.

Eleven semi-finalists have been chosen to compete for the Young Filmmaker’s Award — a prize given to filmmakers who are eighteen years of age or younger.

“The films that will be competing for 2009 Jubilee Awards are, overall, a notch above any past year’s selections,” Phillips remarked. “We are honored to be showcasing the best fruit of a maturing independent Christian movement at the 2009 festival. And we look forward to our Jubilee Awards when we can further demonstrate our appreciation to those filmmakers who have, over the last year, done the best job of using their creative gifts to honor Christ through this critical medium of the arts.”

To interview Doug Phillips regarding the SAICFF’s vision to offer hope outside Hollywood by promoting and independent Christian film movement, contact Wesley Strackbein by e-mail at wesley@visionforum.com or by phone at (210) 340-5250, ext. 222.

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Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.independentchristianfilms.com

The opportunity is being forged through a strategic partnership between the SAICFF and a national media distribution company and sponsor of the SAICFF which has agreed to actively distribute independent Christian films accepted as SAICFF semi-finalists through the sponsor’s online download platform. All filmmakers whose submissions are accepted as semi-finalists for the SAICFF’s annual film competition will be given the opportunity to sell their video for download — regardless of whether or not the films win an award.

“For years, independent Christian filmmakers have struggled to find financially viable distribution streams for their films,” noted Doug Phillips, founder of the SAICFF. “We are pleased to announce that an important step has been taken to meet this challenge.”

“Those filmmakers who pursue this option will have their films available for sale the week of the festival itself. Kiosks will be provided by the sponsor at the event for festival attendees to download the semi-finalist films onsite,” Phillips explained. “If a festival attendee views a film and likes it, he can purchase the film right then, right there.”

“This is another important way that independent filmmakers can begin to realize a return on their investment,” Phillips concluded. “It is a process that we are pleased to facilitate — to reward those hard-working independent Christian filmmakers who have produced a quality product that the SAICFF has recognized.”

To be eligible for this distribution opportunity, film submissions for the 2009 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival must be entered online and postmarked by October 1, 2008 (November 1 for feature film submissions). For more details on submission guidelines visit: www.independentchristianfilms.com.

To interview Doug Phillips about his vision for the Christian Filmmakers Academy and the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, contact Wesley Strackbein by e-mail at wesley@visionforum.com or by phone at (210) 340-5250, ext. 222.

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Press Contact:
Wesley Strackbein
Vision Forum Ministries
wesley@visionforum.org
Phone: (210) 340-5250, ext. 222
www.independentchristianfilms.com