The Dove Foundation Gives I AM Highest Rating

The Dove Foundation has reviewed the faith movie, I AM, and has given their highest mark of five out of five doves.  The have determined it also to be family-friendly and recommended for ages above twelve years of age.

The Dove Foundation review states:

Violations of each of the Ten Commandments are portrayed in this thoughtful drama that begs each of us to examine our own lives and the potential sins we commit each and every day. This is a stirring, visual film that takes a firm stand against sinning. Dove is pleased to award our "Family-Approved" seal to this faith filled film.

For more on the review and rating breakdown, visit Dove.org here.

What makes a film Christian?

By John Ward, Writer/Director of the movie, "I AM"

Conventional wisdom claims a Christian film is a movie defined by its content – a clean, wholesome movie about good, nice people accomplishing the right thing for the right reasons. The same thing goes for television and novels for that matter.

Take for example Little House on the Prairie. For nearly two decades it was the number one show in Saudi Arabia. Yet, Christianity is illegal in that country. Therefore, how can it be Christian? It’s not necessarily. It’s clean.

In addition, the most successful R-rated movie in history was The Passion of the Christ.  Many consider it to be the most gory and violent film ever made, yet how could one claim it was NOT a Christian film?

If content does not determine what is, and is not, a Christian film – what does?

I believe the Christianity of a film (better defined as the appeal to the faith-based audience), is determined by two critical elements:

 

1 . The relationship between the film and the bible.

The Passion of the Christ was groundbreaking because it pointed audiences to specific passages in the bible. A person could experience the film, and then go home and re-read the passages outlining the crucifixion with a new and more powerful understanding of exactly how intense the sacrifice of Christ really was. It aided their faith through a deeper understanding of scriptures they may have already known.

When I began making the Liquid films, I experimented with a similar philosophy. Each film was designed for bible studies, so the films had to parallel specific verses. While the setting was modern day, the plot points were exactly the same as the passages the groups were studying. For example, when we did a study on the parables – one was the Good Samaritan. In our film, the man on the road was a downed US Navy fighter pilot in Afghanistan, and the Samaritan was a local Muslim woman in a burka.

It was clearly a different setting, but showed a direct parallel to the passage nonetheless.

 

2 . Cultural relevance -- the relevance of the film to the challenges of having faith in
our modern world.

Cultural relevance is a huge concern for people of faith. The stories of the bible are compelling, profound, and consequential; but often it’s hard to get past the antiquity of the setting. After all, most of the bible is written about nomads and farmers. Almost nothing of the world of the bible remains today -- only the existence of God and the humanity of the characters.

So in the end, I believe a Christian film is a movie that points us to God’s word, excites us about Him, makes us curious, and helps us better relate to His message for our lives. Just like the Bible itself, sometimes the story is tragic, sometimes puzzling, sometimes warm and fuzzy, and even occasionally terrifying. Yet, as long as the film
is rooted in specific passages from His word – it’s hard to see how we won’t be blessed.

1000 Free Church Screenings Offered of New Christian Movie, I AM, before release by 20th Century Fox

Filmmakers John Ward and Todd Zeile have announced they are donating 1,000 free movie church screenings of their new Christian film, I AM.   The decision to offer free church site licensing comes on the heels of securing a distribution deal with studio giant 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.  The innovative direct-to-church release schedule offers churches across the country to become a busy movie theater for 1 to 4 nights in October.

“Everywhere we go, we hear how churches are struggling.  Too many seats are empty.  People are hurting, and they are inundated by a cynical world telling them to run from the God who’s so angry he only wants you to feel guilty – if he even exists at all,” said John Ward, the film’s writer and director who also appears as one of the primary characters.  “Nearly all churches have a screen of some sort, and churches themselves are essentially theaters – they hold a service every week. Why should we ask pastors to drive people from their churches, into movie theaters, when we can equip them with the same movie that they can use, to invite people inside their churches?  Through offering free screenings we are giving a gift to help churches fill the empty seats.”  

I AM will release exclusively in churches nationwide in October, 2010.  The feature film has been often described as a “Christian Crash” both by Hollywood Executives and Christian Pastors. I AM is a modern parable in which ten strangers in Los Angeles see their lives intersect and collapse through a plot which follows the Ten Commandments, one by one.  As the characters struggle with their various personal demons, each is sustained by their private conversations with the same mysterious stranger:  a man they ultimately come to know as I AM. 

I AM is not a film that pretends to show the perfect model for a perfect life.  It is a tale of suffering and brokenness – a story of this spiderweb of a world in which we all live, and the struggle to break free of its sticky entanglements.  Only at the movie’s conclusion do we see that this mysterious I AM -- who is there regardless of how terrible the decisions of a character may be -- is the quiet, steady source of redemption and peace for those who listen… and left brokenhearted for those who turn away.

“Everyone has a friend, co-worker, or family member with whom they have a serious religious disagreement.  I AM gives those people a safe way to engage in that dialogue, and churches an historic opportunity to host it,” said co-filmmaker Todd Zeile.  Todd Ziele who helped co-produce and acts in the faith-based feature film was drawn to the movie due to the movie’s story which is inspirational, but not preachy.   Although producing films has been a primary focus for Zeile since the conclusion of his 16-year Major League Baseball career, this is his first feature faith-based film.  

Ward and Zeile have put their money where their mouth is.  Not only did they finance the film, but they are financing the giveaway. “It’s about doing the right thing,” Ward said.  When asked about their fears that giving the movie away will hurt their ability to get their money back, Ward replied, “We believe strongly that if we reach out to help the church now, others will reach back and buy I AM later.  In these difficult economic times, churches need help.  Having the first look at a big movie helps them draw a crowd, so the least we could do is give that to them.”

The offer of free church screenings of I AM is available to the first 1,000 churches in the United States through http://www.IAmTheMovie.com.  More information can also be found at http://www.Facebook.com/IAmMovie.  Plans for International direct-to-church site licensing are in the works, it is recommend those interested connect with I AM through their page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/IAmMovie.