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Surprising Shelf Life for Entertaining Films with Faith Message

NASHVILLE, TN (September 10, 2012) – The faith-focused film OCTOBER BABY surprised Hollywood with a No. 8 box office opening against tough competition and went on to post more than $5.3 million in ticket sales, strong numbers for an independent movie. Even with the big-budget Hunger Games opening the same weekend, OCTOBER BABY earned the No. 3 spot for per screen average sales.

If recent trends hold, OCTOBER BABY – with its critically praised, compelling story about the value of every life – will have even more success with tomorrow’s (Sept.11) DVD and Blu-ray launch. Walmart is the exclusive source of the OCTOBER BABY DVD and Blu-ray/DVD combo pack from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

“OCTOBER BABY is part of a growing trend of films that entertain and enlighten audiences while communicating a core message of faith,” said Ben Howard, senior vice president of the movie’s distributor, Provident Films. “Experience shows the combination of entertainment, message and broad-based support can yield long life for a DVD.”

Three well-known faith films make the point:

• Courageous – a faith-film about the importance of fatherhood and parenting – opened in theaters Sept. 30, 2011, as the nation’s No. 4 box office draw and debuted on DVD Jan. 17. It has never dropped below No. 7 on SoundScan’s video rankings, which includes children’s and music titles.
• Fireproof – encouraging people to strong faith-based marriages – claimed the No. 1 independent movie spot for 2008, with DVD sales launching Jan. 27, 2009. It has never dropped below SoundScan’s No. 12 ranking.
• Facing the Giants’ DVD hit stores Jan. 20, 2007, and it has never dropped below No. 34 on SoundScan.

Besides general fan loyalty, churches and organizations use these films to teach and discuss, often with accompanying study guides. Many organizations partner with the films in grassroots support. OCTOBER BABY, a movie about forgiveness, includes the little-known reality of survivors of failed abortions. (Hear moving stories from actual survivors at EveryLifeIsBeautiful.com.) Surrendering the Secret, an organization that helps women deal with the emotional fallout of past abortions, is one of the countless ministries eager to use the DVD.

Faith-focused and patriotic films in general outperform other types of movies and DVDs, according to a Movieguide survey. For 2011, the report says, of the top 25 DVDs of theatrical movies, 52 percent contained some patriotic or faith content. Alternately, material on the political left accounted for 8 percent.

A production from Jon and Andrew Erwin and American Family Studios with Provident Films, OCTOBER BABY weaves a dramatic, romantic, humorous story of one young woman’s search for the truth after a life-changing discovery rocks her world. DVD distribution in the Christian retail market is through Provident Distribution, while Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment distributes to all other domestic distribution channels.

OCTOBER BABY drew praise from the Catholic community:

• “October Baby definitely has the potential to change hearts and minds,” said Fr. Peter West, Human Life International Vice President for Missions.
• “OCTOBER BABY is a major blessing to our movement!” said Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life.
• “(OCTOBER BABY) is a gift to all those who have strived for so long to break open the hearts of the masses to the beauty and sanctity of life,” said Catholic Pro-Life Committee Executive Director Karen Garnett. “OCTOBER BABY is a must-see, masterpiece film for life, so critically needed at this time in history."
• “OCTOBER BABY is the most gripping drama ever produced about the central civil rights issue of our time – the right to life,” said Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.
• “OCTOBER BABY is a heart-warming story of redemption that brings to the big screen how a seemingly small decision can powerfully affect many lives and relationships,” said Heartbeat International President Peggy Hartshorn.

OCTOBER BABY stars John Schneider (Smallville, Dukes of Hazzard), Jasmine Guy (A Different World), and newcomers Jason Burkey and Rachel Hendrix. In the movie, as the curtain rises, Hannah hesitantly steps onto the stage for her theatrical debut in college. Yet before her first lines, she collapses. Medical tests point to one underlying factor: Hannah’s difficult birth. This revelation is nothing compared to discovering that she was actually adopted … after a failed abortion attempt. Bewildered, angered and confused, Hannah embarks on a journey with Jason, her oldest ...