New Sherwood 3 DVD Boxed Set Coming Sept 8

FACING THE GIANTS, the $100,000 church-made film that scored a $10 million box office touchdown for Provident Films and Sherwood Pictures, debuts on Blu-ray™ High-Def this Sept. 8, 2009. The action-packed drama is about a Christian high school football coach who reengages his faith to battle the giants of fear and failure. The DVD bonus includes behind-the-scenes features and deleted scenes.

More news: a DVD box set also releases Sept. 8, containing FIREPROOF, FACING THE GIANTS, and Sherwood’s very first hit, FLYWHEEL.

FACING THE GIANTS Synopsis
After six consecutive losing seasons, high school football coach Grant Taylor (Alex Kendrick) believes things can't get any worse. Unfortunately, he's wrong. With fear and failure seemingly defeating him at every turn, the downtrodden coach and husband turns to God in broken desperation. Trusting that God can somehow do the impossible, Coach Taylor and his Shiloh Christian Eagles soon discover how faith plays out on the field ... and off.

FACING THE GIANTS Bonus Features
• Filmmaker Commentary
• 13 Deleted Scenes
• Fumbles, Funnies, and Other Fun Stuff
• “Behind the Scenes of Facing the Giants”
• Interview with Mark Richt: University of Georgia Bulldogs Football Coach
• “With You” Musical Tribute to the Volunteers

FIREPROOF Synopsis
FIREPROOF, created by a 1,200-person cast and crew—almost all volunteer—ultimately grossed more than $33 million in theaters, making it the top independent film of 2008. Kirk Cameron (TV’s Growing Pains) is Caleb Holt. At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Holt lives by the old firefighter’s adage: never leave your partner behind. At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules. Holt’s job is to rescue others. Now he’s ready to face his toughest job ever … rescuing his wife’s heart.


FIREPROOF Bonus Features
• Filmmakers’ Commentary with Co-Writer/Director Alex Kendrick and
Co-Writer/Producer Stephen Kendrick
• Deleted Scenes
• Firegoofs/Jokes and Pranks
• Fireproof Resources
• “Fireproof: Behind the Scenes”
• “Marriage Matters”
• Wayne on Wayne Interview
• Fireproof in 60 Seconds
• Love Dare Promo

FLYWHEEL Synopsis
FLYWHEEL was a film-festival favorite, earning Best Feature Film at the 2004 Christian WYSIWYG Film Festival, the Bronze Crown at the 2004 ICVM Crown Awards, and Best Screenplay at the 2004 Sabaoth International Film Festival. In the story, many an unsuspecting victim has fallen prey to the smiling face and hasty promises of used car salesman Jay Austin (Alex Kendrick). Austin does everything his way until his dishonesty and manipulation are exposed. Like many men, he grows disgusted by the masks he wears and the lies he tells. While having a classic convertible repaired, Austin begins a humorous and inspiring journey to win back the hearts of his wife, his son, and his community. In every man’s life, there can be a turning point. When Jay Austin makes his turn, he never looks back.

FLYWHEEL Bonus Features
• Flywheel Introduction by Alex Kendrick
• “The Making of Flywheel”
• Outtakes, Deleted Scenes, Bloopers
• Special Message
• Butch Bowers and Jay Austin TV Spots
• Commentary with Alex and Steven Kendrick

The Blu-ray Disc version of FACING THE GIANTS is BD-Live™ enabled, allowing users to get connected and go beyond the disc via an Internet-connected Blu-ray player. Download exclusive content, register for rewards, give feedback through our survey and more!

Get rewards for registering your Sony Blu-ray discs! The Sony Pictures Blu-ray Club rewards consumers in the U.S. for purchasing and registering BD-Live enabled Sony Blu-ray movies. Members may redeem accumulated points for cool Sony products, plus enter to win cash and prizes in daily sweepstakes and more. For details visit www.SonyRewards.com/bluray

FACING THE GIANTS runs approximately 112 minutes and is rated PG. FIREPROOF runs approximately 122 minutes and is rated PG. FLYWHEEL runs approximately 120 minutes and is unrated. Artwork and digital clips are available at www.Sphepublicity.com.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. SPE is a division of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 100 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com. For more info on Blu-ray Disc™, visit hollywoodinhidef.com.

ABOUT PROVIDENT FILMS
Provident Films, a division of Provident Music Group, produces and distributes heartfelt, faith-based films. Nashville-based Provident Music Group, which is a division of Sony Music Entertainment, has been one of the world’s leading Christian entertainment companies for more than three decades. Operating under the umbrella of Sony Music Nashville, Provident Music Group is comprised of Provident Films, Provident Label Group, Essential Music Publishing, and Provident-Integrity Distribution.

Read our 1st interview with Stephen Kendrick
Read our 2nd interview with Stephen Kendrick
Read our review of Fireproof movie
Read our review of the Fireproof DVD
Read our review of the Fireproof novel

Fireproof Movie Soundtrack Available Now

The FIREPROOF songs that you've fallen in love with are available in one place: The FIREPROOF Original Motion Picture Soundtrack!

The soundtrack features the full score, which was composed by Mark Willard, Sherwood's musical minister. And it has these songs from popular artists that you hear in the film:

Leeland's "Brighter Days"
Third Day's "This Is Who I Am"
Casting Crowns' "Slow Fade"
John Waller's "While I'm Waiting"
Grey Holiday's "You Belong To Me"
Warren Barfield's "Love Is Not A Fight"

There's even a special bonus track: the FIREPROOF Remix of John Waller's "While I'm Waiting," which features sound clips from the film interspersed with John's beautiful song.

The FIREPROOF Soundtrack is available starting today, July 14, at your favorite Christian store and online retailer. Be sure to let your friends know by utilizing the Soundtrack banners, available online.

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Fireproof pastor continues film's message

For everyone who leaves the theaters or finishes a Sherwood DVD thinking “That was me . . . now what?”—good news: the Sherwood message continues.

Sherwood Church’s Senior Pastor Michael Catt, executive producer of the surprise movie successes that put Albany GA on the world map—Fireproof (2008’s top-grossing indie film), Facing the Giants (the breakout Christian film of 2006), and Flywheel (now in a re-mastered DVD)—has written The Power of Desperation, a biblical look at the human pain and divine promise that Sherwood stories surface.

Desperation, from B&H Publishing Group, is the first in a three-part “Power of” book series on the reverse logic of God’s using our brokenness to make us whole. Learn more at www.MichaelCattBooks.com.

“Audiences identify with Sherwood movie characters because their lives and problems ring true to the human condition,” Pastor Catt said. “The Power of Desperation aligns the facts of our screw-ups with the bigger fact of God’s unconditional love. No one’s life is too messy, no one’s, to be completely cleansed in Jesus Christ.”

Flywheel’s Jay Austin cheated at work and nearly lost his family . . . Giants’ Coach Grant Taylor couldn’t win for losing . . . Fireproof’s Caleb Holt was a fireman who could rescue strangers but failed to save his own marriage. All resisted God until they reached the ends of themselves.

“Most of us never seek the Lord until we are forced to,” says this pastor whose 25 years serving real people with real needs shows in chapter titles such as: “When There’s Nowhere Else to Turn,” “When Your are Up Against the Impossible,” and “Broken and Spilled Out.”

Southern Baptist leader Tom Elliff salutes the inevitability of the book’s message. “Read it while you can,” he says. “You’ll be there soon enough.”

Michael Catt is the think-outside-the-sanctuary leader making good on his church’s goal to “change the world from Albany, Georgia.” Sherwood films are on every continent, in 158 countries and at least 13 languages. Catt has been interviewed by FOX News, CNN Headline News, CBS News, The TODAY Show, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Baptist Press, Leadership Journal, The Glenn Beck Show . . . and Dr. Phil. And many more. In 2008, he headed the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference, representing more than 42,000 churches. He is a prolific author, speaker, conference founder and leader, and pastor to pastors.

B&H Publishing Group, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources, produces
some of today's most sought-after books, Bibles, church supplies and
multimedia products.

Fireproof movie Opens at #4 nationwide

Samuel Goldwyn Films' FIREPROOF, starring Kirk Cameron, far surpassed industry expectations to place #4 at the box office for the weekend. Produced by Sherwood Pictures in Albany GA, FIREPROOF is the company's third film following FACING THE GIANTS – also released by Goldwyn, which went on to gross more than $10 million.

With an all-volunteer, 1,200-person cast and crew, FIREPROOF opened on 839 screens, grossing $6,804,764 with a per-screen average of $8,111. It was the highest opening weekend box office* of the year for films released on 1,000 screens or fewer.

Directed by Sherwood's Alex Kendrick and co-written with his brother, producer Stephen Kendrick, FIREPROOF stars Cameron and newcomer Erin Bethea in a story about a firefighter who must learn how to rescue his own marriage.

On both FACING THE GIANTS and FIREPROOF, Goldwyn, Provident Films, and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's Affirm Films unit united to devise and execute a marketing strategy blending traditional theatrical marketing and an aggressive grassroots and faith-based outreach. Provident held screenings across the country, providing resources and materials for pastors and churches to spread the word about the film. Through its vast network and databases, Provident created opportunities for leaders to bring the film to their respective areas and generate excitement in their communities.

Communities across the U.S. are using the film as a tool to support local firefighters, police, and other first responders' groups with divorce rates up to 90 percent. As first responders and their spouses spend a night at the movies, volunteer babysitting brigades on are the job, freeing up couples to go. Parents buy tickets for their married children. Churches buy for members and use the movie to kick off marriage courses.

High advance sales accounted for 40 percent of all Fandango.com sales as of Friday morning. In the week before its opening, FIREPROOF pre-sold more than $1 million in tickets – far above the predicted blockbusters.

Meyer Gottlieb, president of Samuel Goldwyn Films, said: "Congratulations to Alex and Stephen Kendrick for showing once again that they know how to make a movie both entertaining and substantive. FIREPROOF will make you laugh, cry, and reflect. I'm confident audiences will continue to support it."

"The success of FIREPROOF is an example of the combination of great writing and storytelling, proper setup and marketing execution, all directed at an underserved audience hungry for filmed entertainment that meets their needs in many ways," said Terry A. Hemmings, president & CEO, Provident Music Group.

"Opening weekend turnout is a testament to grassroots marketing," said Provident Executive Vice President Ben Howard. "We spent nine months getting this movie and its message to the right people . . . now it's charging away on its own momentum."

Michael Catt, senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church and executive producer, said: "We believe good stories can have a good effect. This film was made by a small army of people who poured into something bigger than themselves – into noot just a movie, but a movement to restore and uplift marriages across the country."

Bob Rubin, executive vice president, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, which oversees the Affirm Films label, one of the film's acquisition partners, said: "The faith market is a vast and underserved community with a growing appetite for filmed content that is both inspirational and entertaining. We are delighted to be part of the team that brought FIREPROOF to audiences nationwide."

A book entitled The Love Dare (www.bhpublishinggroup.com/lovedare) was only a plot device in the film until audiences repeatedly requested copies for themselves. The book also debuted in stores this weekend, having pre-sold 600,000 copies. Written by the Kendrick brothers, The Love Dare finished the weekend at #12 on Amazon.com and currently is in its seventh printing.

In coming weeks, Goldwyn plans to expand film's release to more than 1,000 screens.

SHERWOOD PICTURES
This is the third movie by Sherwood Pictures, its second theatrical release. FLYWHEEL, produced in 2004, has sold 200,000 DVDs. FACING THE GIANTS in 2006, earned $10.1 million at the box office and has sold more than 1.6 million DVDs (in 58 countries and 14 languages).

PROVIDENT FILMS
Provident Films is a division of Provident Music Group, designed to produce and distribute faith-based films. Sony BMG Music Entertainment's Provident Music Group is one of the world's leading Christian music companies. Provident Music Group operates under the umbrella for Sony BMG Nashville.

SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS
Samuel Goldwyn Films is a major, independently owned and operated motion-picture company that develops produces and distributes innovative feature films and documentaries. The company is dedicated to working with world renowned and emerging writers and filmmakers and, committed to filmed entertainment that offers original voices in uniquely told stories. This steadfastness is best exemplified by the Oscar-nominated THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, SUPER SIZE ME, AMAZING GRACE and Julie Delpy's hit comedy 2 DAYS IN PARIS. Goldwyn's 2008 slate also includes PRICELESS, a romantic comedy starring Audrey Tautou, Oscar-winner Claude Lelouch's ROMAN DE GARE, FUGITIVE PIECES based on the international bestseller by Anne Michaels, TRUMBO, the acclaimed documentary about Oscar-winner Dalton Trumbo and the critically hailed ELEGY, starring Oscar nominee Penélope Cruz and Oscar winner Ben Kingsley.

###

* except Hannah Montana in 3D

Read our interview with Stephen Kendrick here.
New! Read our interview with Kirk Cameron.
Read our review of Fireproof the movie.
Read our review of Fireproof the novel.

Fireproof trailer released!

Read our interview with Stephen Kendrick here.
New! Read our interview with Kirk Cameron.
Read our review of Fireproof the movie.
Read our review of Fireproof the novel.

Watch Fireproof videos!

Also be sure to read our exclusive interview with Stephen Kendrick about the movie here!



New! Read our interview with Kirk Cameron.
Read our review of Fireproof the movie.
Read our review of Fireproof the novel.

Fireproof movie trailer!

Watch the trailer by clicking here (Quicktime).

FIREPROOF is the third feature film from Sherwood Pictures—the creators of FACING THE GIANTS and FLYWHEEL. With hope-filled, heartfelt storytelling, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church continues to touch the world from Albany, Georgia.

An action-packed love story, FIREPROOF will have audiences laughing, crying, and inching toward the edge of their seats as they are drawn into the world of a firefighter, his wife … and a marriage worth rescuing. Learn more about FIREPROOF—the upcoming release from Provident Films and Sherwood Pictures—at www.FireprooftheMovie.com.

Read our interview with Stephen Kendrick here.
New! Read our interview with Kirk Cameron.
Read our review of Fireproof the movie.
Read our review of Fireproof the novel.

Fireproof movie blog

The folks at Sherwood Pictures have a blog up to keep us updated on what's new with the Fireproof movie starring Kirk Cameron and coming to theaters in 2009. You can check it out here.

Read our interview with Stephen Kendrick here.
New! Read our interview with Kirk Cameron.
Read our review of Fireproof the movie.
Read our review of Fireproof the novel.

Kirk Cameron cast in lead role of Fireproof movie

Thanks to our friend Jamie B who alerted us to the cast announcement for the Fireproof movie. According to their website, the cast has been announced and is:

MOVIE ROLE	CAST MEMBER
Caleb Holt	Kirk Cameron
Catherine Holt	Erin Bethea Catt
Michael Simmons	Ken Bevel
Wayne Floyd	Stephen Dervan
Terrell Sanders	Eric Young
Eric Harmon	Jason McLeod
Robin Cates	Stephanie Makulinski
Latasha Brown	Renata Williams
Deidra Harris	Dwan Williams
Ashley Phillips	Amberly Marquard
John Holt	Harris Malcom
Cheryl Holt	Phyllis Malcom
Gavin Keller	Perry Revell
Tina Simmons	Carla Hawkins
Mr. Campbell	Ray Wood
Mrs. Campbell	Sue Holt
Mr. Rudolph	Bill Stafford
Erma Rudolph	Dot Majors
Anna Stone	Faye Sharber
Misty Harper	Deena Taylor
Bethany Wilson	Kelly Johnson
Kelsey Jackson	Melanie Tomlinson
Ross Spencer	Bailey Cave
Kyle Joiner	Tommy McBride
Carl Hatcher	Jim McBride
Mr. James Turner	Anthony Brown
Mrs. Turner	Allison Dawson
Megan	Taylor Glow
Joy Wilkins	Shannon Davis
Stephanie Mills	Blake Bailey
Pastor Strauss	Alex Kendrick
Dispatcher	Heidi Johnson

Read our interview with Stephen Kendrick here.
New! Read our interview with Kirk Cameron.
Read our review of Fireproof the movie.
Read our review of Fireproof the novel.

Fireproof movie update

Some new information on the movie Fireproof, being made by Sherwood Pictures (Facing the Giants, Flywheel). The release date is now being listed as August 2008, and we now have a summary:

SYNOPSIS:

Lt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. Inside burning buildings, it's his natural instinct. In the cooling embers of his marriage, it's another story.

After a decade of marriage, Caleb and Katherine Holt have drifted so far apart that they are ready to move on without each other. Yet as they prepare to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's dad asks his son to try an experiment: The Love Dare.

While hoping The Love Dare has nothing to do with his parents' newfound faith, Caleb commits to the challenge. But can he attempt to love his wife while avoiding God's love for him? Will he be able to demonstrate love over and over again to a person that's no longer receptive to his love? Or is this just another marriage destined to go up in smoke?

Read our interview with Stephen Kendrick here.
Read our interview with Kirk Cameron.
Read our review of Fireproof the movie.
Read our review of Fireproof the novel.

Fireproof movie

Sherwood Pictures brought you Flywheel and Facing the Giants. Now they're making the movie Fireproof, a film about a firefighter in a bad marriage.

Currently slated for a fall 2008 release, more information as it becomes available can be found at the Sherwood Pictures website.

Read our interview with Stephen Kendrick here.
Read our interview with Kirk Cameron.
Read our review of Fireproof the movie.
Read our review of Fireproof the novel.