Pastor launches film company to produce “visual sermons”

Originally published in Charisma News

Denver Pastor Sun Hui East is doing more than going multimedia with the gospel message—he’s launching a film production company for the sole purpose of distributing full-length, faith-based motion pictures to serve as visual sermons for people who may never darken a local church’s door.

East came up with the idea for Strong Foundation Films after he saw the wild success of faith-based films like Courageous, Soul Surfer, Passion of the Christ, and works produced by Tyler Perry. East aims to create faith-based films that appeal to both mainstream and faith-based audiences.

“Strong Foundation Films is going to shake the film industry by telling stories that help people understand eternal principles found in the Bible,” says East, the author of 27 books, including the novel Endless Love, and nine screenplays. “People are thirsty for the kinds of movies we’re making. We want to entertain without being offensive, and tell stories that make a powerful connection with audiences.”

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East may be on to something. Faith-based films have soared at the box office. Movieguide reports that American audiences preferred movies with strong values and conservative content almost six-to-one over those without such content. And Christian-friendly movies, on average, earned four times as much in box office returns—$64.3 million as opposed to $15.9 million.

Strong Foundation Films’ first release is The Prophet’s Son, which intertwines the lives of an internationally acclaimed young musician and a beautiful, young writer. While they discover their love for each other, they rely on their deep faith in God to navigate through a world of high school shootings, runaway youth, and the aftermath of a nuclear attack on the United States. Future movies feature contemporary issues like dating, marriage, drugs, gangs, war and other challenges in modern society.

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“I am impressed by the unabashed faith of Strong Foundation Films, and Pastor Sun East, and their work to bring to life on the screen God’s inerrant words,” says Bishop Phillip H. Porter of All Nations Church of God in Christ and former chairman of the board of Promise Keepers.

“I would encourage all to not only see these movies but enjoy and hear deeply their messages. They will indeed help our nation and our world to have the solid foundation which we all need both to endure and pass onto others the enduring foundations of life.”

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Strong Foundation Films will be distributed independently via theater rentals, online downloads, DVD and Christian TV. In Over My Head will release in late Fall 2012.