Cinedigm's Faith-Based Film Deal Cements Genre's Growth

The faith-based film genre isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it just keeps growing.

The current year has been a breakthrough for faith-friendly films, witness the runaway success of God’s Not Dead, Son of God and Heaven is for Real.

Now, a new deal reported by TheWrap.com promises to keep the spigot of similar themed films open for the foreseeable future.

Cinedigm Corp. has entered into a multi-year agreement with Chesler/Perlmutter Productions for multiple family and faith-friendly films.

The deal provides for at least four films per year.

Cinedigm has acquired the distribution rights to more than 24 back catalog titles from the Chesler/Perlmutter library. Cinedigm will maintain all U.S. rights to the films, including digital, VOD and physical home entertainment.

We’re already seeing faith-friendly films mature in the marketplace. The recent Believe Me satirized Christians who are far too willing to support causes if peddled by charming pitchmen, but it did so from a less judgmental position. The Song uses the Biblical Song of Solomon to tell a romance that stands far apart from the standard rom-com. Yet the story’s romantic yearnings will unite audiences.

And then there’s The Remaining, last month’s faith-friendly horror movie from a Sony offshoot, Affirm Films, dedicated to spiritual content.

Ten years ago, Hollywood wasn’t prepared when The Passion of the Christ became the unlikeliest blockbuster in modern movie history. The industry didn’t rush to follow up with similar projects, nor did the technology exist to distribute smaller films to the masses as exists now.

It took tiny film studios like Sherwood Pictures to work around the system and make movies like Facing the Giants and Fireproof. Those films turned a tidy profit, and suddenly the industry started to realize there could be money in making films that appeal to church-going crowds.

Not every faith-based film scores big with audiences. When the Game Stands Tall, a terrific football drama, has earned $30 million so far. But with its $15 million budget, and a likely long life on home video, even the genre’s modest hits will prove fiscally sound.