EMPOWER THE CHURCH-BASED FILM MOVEMENT
October 12-14, 2018
Northern, New Jersey
Saturday, October 14th @ 6pm Found follows the story of Raymone Maye, a man who was living a careless and selfish life, but was completely transformed when God took hold of him and revealed His awesome power.
The inspirational and true story of a family that decided to move from the United States to a small island in the South Pacific.
Detective David Martinez (Jonathan Garcia) and Sargent Steven Hye (Thomas Grower) argue why, in today’s America, there is such turmoil between citizens and the police-force when suddenly they’re interrupted by a dispatch call that takes them to the home of a demon possessed John Ropes (Sean Hanlon).
Dawn, a young woman of 18 is suddenly forced to live with her aunt and uncle after her mother is tragically killed. Soon after her arrival at her new home things go terribly wrong and she runs.
Raymond and Reesie Scott have the perfect marriage. Raymond is a young prominent pastor on the rise and Reesie is the First Lady that stands beside him. After Reesie's chance encounter with an old friend, Raymond is deeply affected by the "green-eyed" monster and the secret Reesie's been hiding for the past 3 years, begins to leak out.
magine if your children lived on the street, in a makeshift shack under a bridge, in the sewer, or in a box. This is the reality of 20,000 + kids in Mexico City. This documentary explores the streets of this 22 million person city looking for an answer into this overwhelming dilemma.
Imagine meeting Jesus. What would you say to him? Would you recognize him? That’s the conundrum facing a man like Henry Mickels. On a road trip towards upstate New York Henry comes to meet a stranger claiming to be Jesus Christ.
Breen was a promising Highland Dancer...until the ravages of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Now she's caught between two competing caregivers: her son and her mother, each with their own personal trials.
A prisoner who has amnesia has his faith put to the test during a torturous interrogation.
Fat Chance is a character-driven romantic comedy, inspired by a true story. It tells the story of an overweight dental assistant who is challenged to find her self worth in Christ when she falls in love with a young man using her attractive friend’s picture on an online dating website.
Saturday, Octobee 14th @ 4:30pm Chase Morgan’s parents named him Chase in hopes that he would pursue something, be a man of action. Instead he’s ended up the opposite. But in his senior year of high school, someone comes along who turns that around. Grácia has charisma, intelligence, character—all the things Chase and his best friend OB admire.
First in the "Stories of Hope" series, Stuck introduces Rael Thigpen as Darren, a teen who runs away after learning that his father is being released from prison. When he finds himself locked in a church overnight with a homeless man, Darren is faced with considering a new option; forgiveness.
A young girl’s faith is tested, when her parents are suddenly killed in a car crash and she is forced to move in with relatives who are non-believers. She finds herself in a new city, new school and no friends…
What would you do if you had one day to live? One Day is a short film about a young man John, who finds out that he has only one day left to live, he makes a plan for how he will use his one day, but things do not go as planned.
Through newly exposed geological and statistical evidence, a convergence of events has now been discovered that many believe finally prove the Tribulation is about to begin! This whistleblower film breaks the mold of what a documentary can be by pulling you deeper into the reality of the approaching apocalypse as you follow the story of a young girl (Erin Hawkins) that is living through the end of days. Her cinematic interruptions throughout the documentary act as a warning to the genuine realit
This short film highlights the events that take place on the road to Emmaus in 33AD between two disciples and “the man,” revealed as the resurrected Yeshua of Nazareth, the Christ. The narrative follows two of Yeshua’s students, who have since given up hope of their teacher’s promised resurrection post death by scourging and crucifixion three days earlier.
A hate filled joins a murderous regime after losing his family in a rapture like event. Struggling to gain faith after being excommunicated from this group, he finds solace in some nomadic travelers.
TEM tells the story of three women's courageous journey from tragedy to triumph. It blends the past with the present featuring true-life stories of faith, deliverance and victory designed to empower and uplift the masses.
A Teenager trapped in addiction tries to find an exit door.
Spotlight Panel
Acting out Your Faith
Shanice Williams is an American actress and singer best known for her performance as Dorothy in the televised live performance of NBC's The Wiz Live! in December 2015. The Wiz Live was nominated for three Emmy's.
Actress Jenn Gotzon's career break portraying President Nixon’s daughter Tricia Nixon (cameo) in Ron Howard’s Oscar nominee Frost/Nixon launched her as an American Leading Lady starring in over ten family & faith films.
Maura Gale is a renowned actress, author, evangelist, and creative visionary who has been sharing the gift of ministry and art for more than 20 years.
These women of God will share their amazing journeys on Saturday, October 14th @ 5pm in the Acting out Your Faith seminar.
THE FIFTH ANNUAL CHURCHES MAKING MOVIES CHRISTIAN FILM FESITIVAL RECEIVES GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM
Our Speakers
We've assembled an A-Team of speakers who'll be on their A-Games in their seminars, workshops or just chatting with festival goers. Join us for enlightening talks,informative how-to's, or simply shooting the breeze with our hand-picked team.
Sonya McNair
Keynote
McNair is a communications pro, film producer, and author. She has worked for many of the most prominent names in journalism, including Roone Arledge, Leslie Moonves, David Brinkley, Cokie Roberts, Diane Sawyer, Charles Gibson, Peter Jennings, David Remnick, Katie Couric, Charlie Rose, Gayle King, and others. She also has worked for three of the four broadcast television networks (ABC, CBS, FOX) and within numerous industries, including news, film, entertainment and publishing.
Most recently, she worked for CBS News in the capacity of Senior Vice President of Communications.
At present, McNair is an executive corporate and media strategist. She counsels Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, executives and high profile talent on the implementation and sustaining of strategic initiatives, operations, and media affairs. She also designs business strategies and directs crisis communications. She is the author of newly released Every Reason to Praise and she will be signing the book at the event.
The Making of a Church-produced Film
Micah Caronna has led the production of three films in his role as the Worship & Creative Arts Pastor at Living Word Family Church in Wake Forest, NC. The Church's first feature, Another Chance, won best picture at the 2014 Churches Making Movies Christian Film Festival.
Fat Chance, a coming of age drama, screens at this year's festival. Coronna and his team will wrap their third film in early October.
His ultimate motivation is to empower people to lead a fulfilling passionate life that attracts the lost to the arms of Jesus.
Coronna leads a seminar on The Making of a Church-produced Film on Sunday, October 15 at 1:00pm.
Acting out Your Faith
Maura Gale is a renowned actress, author, evangelist, and creative visionary who has been sharing the gift of ministry and art for more than 20 years. Maura seamlessly FUSED these two passions to created MinARTstry, an artistic brand used to produce engaging work. Her transparent, revealing, and motivational messaging speaks to the needs of men and women at a cellular lever. This ability to penetrate beneath the surface is what sets Maura and her ministry apart.
She is known for her role as Lula in Their Eyes Were Watching God and her voice role in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty as Fortune. She also makes appearances in TV shows such as NYPD Blue and Ally McBeal, and in the film Woman Thou Art Loosed. Gale leads a panel, Acting Out Your Faith, on Saturday, October 14th at 5:00pm
Crushing Creativity Killers
LaVonne McIver James is the founding director of The Churches Making Movies Christian Film Festival and the co-founder and president of VetStreamTV. She established the festival to encourage and empower churches to utilize films as evangelical tools.
She leads Crushing Creativity Killers on Saturday, October 14 at 10:00 am.
Marc Steele
Director, Undeserved
Red carpet feature film
Marc Steele is the director of Undeserved about a young woman who is suddenly forced to live with her aunt and uncle after her mother is tragically killed. The film kicks off the festival on Friday, October 13 at 7:00 pm. Steele has directed three feature films and is a working actor as well.
Follow @churchmadefilms
518-530-1413
Red Carpet Event Singing Sensation
Juliet Nichole Jones (known as artist J. Nichole) is a native of Pennsylvania, and an award-winning Contemporary Gospel Artist who has a love of ministry and music. With her unique and anointed voice, she is reaching beyond the traditional gospel sound and gospel audience. Honored by colleagues, and adored by the public, this singing sensation is truly an inspiration. She is the daughter of a musician father and an evangelist/songwriting mother, and has had much support from her influential and talented parents.
While in her college years, J. Nichole enjoyed singing and touring as lead vocalist with a top 40 band in PA. She then placed law school on hold, and headed out to LA to pursue her music career. While in L.A. she had the pleasure of working with many influential artist in the music industry in the pop/ r&b markets, performing at local venues with her girl group at the time, as well as a pending deal with Sony that fell through.
After many obstacles faced in L. A. as a single mother during that time, J. Nichole started to faithfully attend church and study the Word and it was then when she quickly re - dedicated her life back to the Lord. She immediately realized God had other plans for her and her music career as a singer, writer and entrepreneur.