Film festival helps Christian writers

by Paul Clark
published April 13, 2008

RIDGECREST – Authors and screenwriters of Christian books and movies will gather at Lifeway Conference Center this week to pitch projects and learn more about producing films families can watch without wincing.

The Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival will also screen 14 Christian-themed films, including a rough cut premiere of “Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry’s Big River Rescue!” Viewers will be able to shape the final edit by offering written suggestions to the producer, Big Idea. All films are open to the public.

“Every film you go to now has mounds of cussing, lots of violence, all kinds of sex in it,” said Rodney Marett, who founded the festival with his wife, Lori Marett. “We feel there’s a need for more wholesome family films. A lot of these movies don’t have overbearing Christian themes. But they’re ‘subplotted’ (in a way that suggests) if you see God’s will, good things will happen to you.” the rest