Here's highlights of the conference:   INVESTORS LIONS DEN  (BRAND NEW!) -  A Shark-Tank-type event, we partnered with Lion's Den DFW, a Dallas-based investment group with accredited Christian investors, who took presentations from Christian film-related production companies and businesses, whether start-ups or companies looking to expand.   Attendees got to watch and learn from the presentations, and later had a meet-and-greet with the staff and investors of Lion's Den DFW.   CHRISTIAN FILM MARKET -  We had 18 distributors looking for finished ready-to-distribute films -- movies, documentaries, TV series, church programs  and shows. Attendees had 5 minutes one-on-one with the distributors they chose.  Distributors include Sony Provident Films, Pure Flix, Fathom Events, Vision Video, Collide Media Group, BMG Global, LOOR-TV, Christian Cinema & more. ICVM SCRIPT & STORY PITCH-A-THON -  Attendees pitched their screenplay, story, or book one-on-one with distributors and producers looking for new material, movies or TV shows.  Companies included Third Coast Content (Ben Howard), Collide Media Group (Bob Elder), Sony Provident Films (Ashley Chambless), Ocean Avenue Ent. (Chris Bueno), Green Apple Ent (Cole Lunz), & more! SCREENING:  “THE CHOSEN”  - 3rd SEASON OPENER -  -  Angel Studios blessed us with a sneak preview showing of THE CHOSEN's first two episodes of Season 3 in a movie theater.  Jared Geesey, SVP of distribution for Angel Studios, answered questions after.   CRU SUPER SEMINAR - THE JESUS FILM -  CRU and the Jesus Film Project led an in-depth look at the history and impact of one of the greatest impactful Christian films made -- THE JESUS FILM. the film just hit its 2,000th translation!     ICVM CROWN AWARDS FINALIST CELEBRATION -  The 50th Annual ICVM Crown Awards kicked off with the announcement of the five Finalists in each of our 17 Crown Award categories. THE JESUS FILM was also announced as the 2022 recipient of the Crown LEGACY Award, presented to a film with historic impact.  The Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in each category will be presented at the 50th ICVM Crown Awards Ceremony at the NRB Media Convention next May in Orlando, Fl.   SPEAKERS - Top professionals from production, business, investment and acting joined us,  like Cameron Arnett, producer and actor (Overcomer, I Still Believe, Saved By Grace); Ben Howard, head of Third Coast Content and Impact Foundation (formerly EVP of Provident Films);  Cris Krusen, writer/director/producer of the just-finished movie "Let Me Have My Son"; and Troy Miller, president and CEO of National Religious Broadcasters (NRB).   TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION -  We were doubly blessed to have seven students from Bob Jones and their professor, Chris Zydowicz, join us as attendees.  They also ran cameras and sound for our behind the scenes videos, and for the TV series, Faith on Film, hosted by Isaac /Hernandez and Holly McClure.  A special thank goes out to them. ‘A Waltons Thanksgiving’ Star Wows at the ICVM Storytellers Conference Tatum Matthews, who stars as 'Erin Walton' in the CW network’s new reboots of “The Waltons” television specials, took the stage for two events at the 2022 ICVM Storytellers Conference in Orlando, Fl, on Nov. 17th. She joined actor/producer Cameron Arnett (OVERCOMER) and producer/actress BJ Arnett to do a seminar, ‘Actors on Acting’, each of whom opened up with real-world experiences and tricks of the trade for actors, and for producers and directors dealing with actors. Later Tatum took to the main stage to share a little about her acting journey with the audience of 250 Christian filmmakers and distributors.  ICVM President Paul Sirmons joined her to discuss his days as the 2nd assistant director on the original ‘Waltons’ TV series back in the 70s, and they discussed the difference between then and now. A surprise highlight for Tatum was a surprise cell-phone video from Mary Beth McDonough, the original 'Erin' from the original Waltons hit TV series.  She gave Tatum some advice and tips on playing the role she had played for years. Tatum told of how she first got the role, which began with the reboot of 'A Waltons Homecoming' a year ago. Tatum's  new TV movie, ‘A Waltons Thanksgiving’, premiered on the CW Network the day after the conference ended – Nov. 20th - and drew an audience nationally of about 600,000.

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50th ICVM Crown Awards Announce Finalists

The 50th Annual ICVM Crown Awards, honoring the best in indie Christian film and TV, announced the finalists during the ICVM Storytellers Conference this week in Orlando, FL.  Finalists were chosen in each of the 17 categories, which received entries from 22 countries around the world, including Nigeria, China, Belarus, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Turkey, all countries where Christians face persecution.
 
The finalists will vie for the Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards at ICVM’s gala awards ceremony during The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Christian Media Convention from May 22-25, 2022, in Orlando, Florida.
 
 ICVM’s Storyteller Conference, a 4-day event scheduled each fall, also featured the first-ever Christian Film Market, where filmmakers with finished films made deals directly with distributors.  It also featured a Script & Story Pitch-a-thon, educational seminars, networking events, forums and pre-release screenings.  
 
ICVM partnered with Lion's Den DFW to put on the first-ever INVESTORS LIONS DEN, a Shark-Tank-like event that brought together filmmakers and investors looking for film-related businesses and projects.  They took presentations, and educated up the attendees on how to approach investors and get investment for their projects.
 
For 50 years the ICVM Crown Awards, and it's parent organization, the International Christian Visual Media Association (ICVM), have been helping educate, network, empower and inspire Christian filmmakers and distributors around the world.

The finalists, by category:

The INVESTORS LIONS DEN:

Shark-Tank-Like Event A Huge Success

For the first time, Christian investors and filmmakers came together at the INVESTORS LIONS DEN event at the ICVM Storytellers Conference on Thursday, Nov. 17th in Orlando, Fl..

The Lion’s Den DFW, a Shark-Tank-like Christian ‘Business as Mission’ program that matches for-profit companies and projects with a broad base of investors brought a condensed version of their world-renowned program to listen to pre-chosen presentations and also share their tips on how best to approach Christian investors and get your Christian film-related company launched, expanded, or your movie made!

There were 3 'Sessions'.

Session One featured Ed Pearce on the history of investment and added they had already invested in several film-related projects that turned out financially profitable.  Other investments through Lions Den DFW saw multiple returns on investment.

John Bolin, founder of The Thorn, spoke about the 'Film Studio of the Future', and what filmmakers need to prepare to successfully raise investment funds.

Jeff Cline, who describes himself as a 'serial entrepreneur and tech geek', filled attendees in on 'New Business Models for Streaming and Film Projects.'

Session Two featured the 'Shark-Tank'-like program.  The heads of three film companies seeking funding stood, one at a time, in front of investors who judged their project and presentation, asking detailed questions after each presentation.

Filmmakers in the audience were able to witness this, which should help them prepare their pitch and materials for their own projects.


The three pitches came from:

- Art Ayris of Kingstone Studios in Leesburg, Fl, who pitched a new animation company as an offshoot of his feature film and comic book/graphic novel companies that have been successful for many years.

- Linda Mandrayar, an Executive Producer who pitched her film project 'Faith Beyond Doubt'.  

- Tamsin Evans, who pitched 'Sunshine and Fire'.  

All the pitchers got good marks from the judges, but we will have to wait to see whether that translates into funding.

In Session Three, Ben Howard of Impact foundation gave an excellent titled 'The Business Side of Film'.  As former head of Provident Films, Ben has overseen many hit films from concept to screen.

Stephen Jackson and Don Simmons with Steward Advisors Group then  handled a Q&A that answered the detailed questions many filmmakers and Christian film-related business owners had regarding getting investors interested in your project or your company.  

Finally, Ed Pearce and ICVM President Paul Sirmons talked about the new relationship between their organizations and pledged to do an even bigger, more in-depth event next year.


The INVESTORS LIONS DEN event joined other conference highlights like the ICVM Script & Story Pitch-a-thon on Nov. 18th, and the 2nd annual Christian Film Market (CFM) on Nov. 19th, along with many seminars, speakers, screenings and networking events.


ABOUT LION’S DEN DFW:  https://www.thelionsdendfw.org

Ed Pearce, Co-Founder, Lion's Den DFW

' THE CHOSEN', 'SABINA: TORTURED FOR CHRIST' & 'JESUS REVOLUTION' ARE HITS AT CONFERENCE

 'Jesus Revolution'

 Kingdom Story Company, makers of hit films like 'I Can Only Imagine', did an advance screening of their newest feature, 'Jesus Revolution', at the ICVM Storytellers Conference closing night dinner.   

 The film will be released nationwide in theaters in February, 2023 - but attendees got to see this sneak preview of the entire movie at at the conference.

 'Jesus Revolution' tells the true story of a young pastor’s journey through one of America’s most significant periods of spiritual revival, known as the “Jesus movement.”

 The movie is based on Greg Laurie and Ellen Vaughn’s book of the same name, which narrates “the national spiritual awakening in the early 1970s and its origins within a community of teenage hippies in Southern California.”

 The film follows a young Laurie and his coming-of-age testimony, a hippie street preacher, Lonnie Frisbee, and a pastor who opened his church doors, Chuck Smith.

The Chosen'

Angel Studios presented a sneak preview of THE CHOSEN - the first two episodes on the new 3rd season - for all attendees of the conference at the nearby Regal Cinemas on International Drive in Orlando, Fl.

Fans and newbies were impressed with the stories, the acting, and the production values in each episode.  

The Chosen opened in 2,000 theaters nationwide the night following ICVM's screening.  It's an extended run for Fathom Events, who is handling the release.  

Fathom Events also participated in the Storytellers Conference by taking pitches for finished films at the 2nd annual Christian Film Market at the conference on the final day.  17 distributors and exhibitors participated in the event.

 'Sabina: Tortured for Christ'
 
The opening-day film was Sabina: Tortured for Christ,  the winner of five 2021 ICVM Gold Crown Awards for filming excellence.   The inspiring movie, directed by John Grooters and produced by Judy Grooters, was enthusiastically welcomed by attendees.
 
 Sabina: Tortured for Christ tells the story of how God’s love transformed an ambitious, worldly atheist into one of the greatest Christian women of the 20th century. The film opens with Sabina Wurmbrand risking her life to show Christ’s love to three Nazi soldiers. Why would a Christian from a Jewish background risk her life to help her enemies — members of the army that killed her entire family? Experience a true story of biblical love and forgiveness that has inspired millions around the world.  See more info at their website:  https://www.sabinamovie.com