You may not be familiar with EchoLight Studios, but the producer of faith-based family films named former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum as CEO Monday.
The Hollywood Reporter reported Monday:
Santorum said Monday he has become CEO of EchoLight Studios, and the Texas-based firm is weeks away from closing a $20 million film fund that it will use to finance, produce and distribute faith-based and family friendly movies.
Santorum has been helping EchoLight raise money for about six months, and a few months ago he joined its board of directors. On Monday, he officially announced he has become CEO and that he and his staff are taking pitches from Hollywood filmmakers.
“Here’s what I think of Hollywood,” Santorum told THR. “We’re looking for talented people who want to make quality films, even though we won’t be spending tens of millions of dollars on each of them. We want good writers, actors, and producers who want to make honest, uplifting content.”
“There’s a lot of good family movies produced in Hollywood, but in almost every one of them there’s a scene where, as a dad with younger kids, I say, ‘Why did they put that gratuitous sex, or language, or violence in there?’ To me, it diminishes the film, so we won't be doing that,” Santorum told THR. “If it’s part of the story, then fine, but we won’t be putting things in there that aren’t relevant to the characters or storyline.”
“I don’t want to preach to anybody," Santorum said. "I just want to portray faith as it really is, and we’re going to be telling a lot of true-life stories, and we’re going to make them comfortable even for people who are not of faith, because they are honest. That’s the challenge for us, and it’s what Hollywood tends to shy away from.”
Already in the pipeline is "The Redemption of Henry Myers" which EchoLight's website describes thusly:
Henry is a hard man, getting by in the old west the only way he knows how: robbing banks. After his latest heist goes wrong and his partners betray him and leave him for dead, Henry is surprised to find extraordinary kindness from a widow and her children. With the influence of this family, Henry begins to question the choices he's made in his life. Just when things begin to make sense again, it's all ripped away from him when his old partners show up. Will he seek the revenge he desires or finally find his Redemption?
"Seasons of Gray":
Seasons of Gray is a modern day retelling of the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. This uplifting feature film is quality family entertainment with strong morals and an enduring message of hope.
What man intends for evil, God intends for good . This simple, yet powerful, message is all Brady Gray has left. His brothers, driven by jealousy, cast away their own flesh and blood in the same way Joseph was sold into slavery by his siblings. Heartbroken and separated from his family, Brady holds tightly to his faith and begins to build a new life for himself. But there are more challenges in store for this servant of God. False accusations land Brady in prison, where his God-given gift of interpreting dreams helps him forge friendships that will play an important role in his ultimate salvation. Upon his miraculous release from prison, Brady discovers, as his dreams predicted, that his brothers direly need his help. Despite the pain and suffering caused by his betrayal, Brady must find the strength to embrace one of the Bible’s most important messages: We forgive because we are forgiven.
And "Hoovey":
Starring Patrick Warburton (Emperor’s New Groove, Men in Black II) and Lauren Holly (NCIS, Picket Fences) as Jeff and Ruth Elliott, Hoovey recounts the story of their son, Eric “Hoovey” Elliott, a promising athlete with a passion for basketball whose dreams were threatened by a near-fatal brain tumor. Battling back from surgery, Hoovey had to relearn how to walk, read, even see clearly. With medical bills pushing his family to the brink of ruin, only their faith and deep love for one another offered hope.
Should be interesting to see what Santorum brings to this studio.
Stay tuned.
