Christians in Cinema BLOG

I get a lot of questions from people who want to get a start in filmmaking from a Christian perspective. Here are some great places to find filmmakers to connect with, as well as help for your career:

International Christian Visual Media: This network of independent filmmakers sponsors the annual Crown Awards and a Catalyst Conference. […]

David De Vos’ film “The Theory of Everything” was a Triple Crown Winner at this year’s Crown Awards, held in Atlanta, Georgia. These awards are voted on by Christian filmmakers, and Dave’s film won the following awards:

Best Evangelistic Film of 2007
Best Drama Over $250,000
Best Picture for 2007

The film’s combination of science and family drama creates […]

Earlier this week, I watched the first installment of TNT’s new drama “Saving Grace,” starring Holly Hunter (who is also a producer for the show). It was pretty wild. There was enough sex that it could probably be rated “R,” and the language was raw.
All that aside, it’s an interesting premise. What if, in response […]

Filmmakers John Schimke and Stewart Redwine, creators of the 36 Parables series, were recently interviewed on “The Harvest Show.” Check out the video from their blog and hear straight from the filmmakers.
“36 Parables” is a modern adaptation of Jesus’ parables. Each DVD has 3 short films on it, which correspond to one of Jesus’ teachings. […]

Writer/Producer/Director - Nobelity
What do the following have in common? Golf. Willie Nelson. Christmas angels. Nobel Peace Prize winners. Friday Night Lights. The Sopranos…. A fascinating and tenacious man named Turk Pipkin. His multi-faceted career reflects the vast interests of the man who captured the insights of nine Nobel Laureates on film. He and his wife […]

This weekend I saw the movie “Hairspray,” which features John Travolta in drag. It was very fun, and from the starting note, the music was fabulous! I was surprised to find that, instead of being over-the-top, Travolta gave his character dignity, courage and a vulnerability that is very believable. He even does a fun dance […]

Since the release of J.K. Rowling’s first “Harry Potter” book, the author and her books have been the center of controversy. Is she a witch? Does she believe in witchcraft? Or does the series represent the powers and abilities we can use for good and evil in our daily lives? Should children, who avidly read […]

When The Last Sin Eater came out in theaters, most of our staff went to see it together. As we often do, we hung around the theater after the credits had stopped rolling and talked about our reactions to the film. Jennifer, our wholesale account manager, was very moved by what she saw, so I […]

Phil Cooke is a busy man. He directs and produces commercials, consults with churches and non-profit organizations, blogs, and writes books! He’s very well-respected in media circles and has a finger on the pulse of Christian film-making. He’s on a crusade to raise the standard of filmmaking, and is a passionate and humorous speaker.
I’m looking […]

Sunday I flew from Fresno to Salt Lake City to Atlanta to attend the annual International Christian Retail Show. This is a gathering of suppliers of Christian products and retailers (bookstore owners, websites, etc.). Other than a delay in leaving Fresno, which caused a quick run to the gate in Salt Lake, things were pretty […]

You can tell a lot about a person by the things others say about them. Recently, in preparation for an interview with Michael Landon, Jr. (right), I watched behind the scenes footage from The Last Sin Eater. Here are some of the things his actors said about him as a director.
He knows exactly what he […]

I’ve noticed a disturbing trend lately, and I’m hopeful it will die out. I’ve read several articles on different websites that give information about movies from a Christian worldview. What’s bothersome is that these articles begin with “I haven’t seen this movie, but I’ve heard…” and they proceed to talk negatively about the film. I’ve […]

One of the most fun and fascinating things I’ve ever done was be an extra for Mercy Streets. (I’m in the church scene as part of the choir, and you can see me just over John’s [or is it Jeremiah’s?] right shoulder) It was my introduction to the world of filmmaking, and I was hooked!
You […]

I was minding my own business tonight watching “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” when I saw a commercial for a new ABC Family series called “Greek.” It’s a comedy about college fraternities.
In the 2- minute preview I saw college students drinking in a bar, students in an implied sex scene, and various other scenes familiar […]

Jeffrey Overstreet is a man of many gifts. To Christian audiences, especially moviegoers, he is best known as a film critic and writer for Christianity Today Movies’ website. To Seattle Pacific University students, faculty and alumni, he is known as an author and editor. To his future audience of readers, he is a writer of […]

Saturday afternoon I went to see “Ratatouille” with my family that’s visiting from Texas. It was a great experience. Pixar created a fun film that I thought beautifully captured the city of Paris. It also made me laugh at the antics of rats. I never thought I’d do that, since I don’t usually think […]