by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(April 1, 2008) The makers of the hit movie, Facing the Giants, are planning to release a new movie based on the struggles of a firefighter and his wife to save their failing marriage. Acting on a dare, this couple learns how to rise above indifference, insults, emotional affairs and internet porn to reclaim their love in a remarkably romantic and heartwarming film.
The new action/relationship film comes from Sherwood Pictures and Provident Films, makers of Facing the Giants and Flywheel.
Scheduled for release in September, 2008, the film is based on the story of Captain Caleb Holt, a firefighter, and his wife Catherine. After seven years of marriage, they have drifted so far apart that Catherine wishes she had never married at all. Neither spouse understands the pressure the other faces in their professional life – his as a firefighter and hers as a public relations director of a hospital. They argue regularly over all of the usual issues – finances, housework, outside interests.
Just as they are entering divorce proceedings, Caleb’s father challenges him to a 40-day experiment he calls “The Love Dare.” Caleb agrees more for his father’s sake than his own. When he discovers that the daily challenges of the “Dare” are tied to his parent’s newfound faith, his enthusiasm wanes.
But he made a promise and he wants to stick to it, even though his efforts are frustrated time and time again. He finally asks his father, “How am I supposed to show love to somebody who constantly rejects me?”
When his father explains that this is same kind of love God shows to us, Caleb is deeply moved and makes a new commitment to love God. As a result, for the first time in his married life, he begins to understand what it means to truly love his wife.
But is it too late to “fireproof” his marriage? His job is to rescue others from the flames, but now he faces his toughest challenge yet – rescuing his wife’s heart.
“Most movies are about relationships that lead to marriage,” said Michael Catt of Sherwood Pictures to Christian Newswire. “Fireproof picks up seven years into a marriage headed for divorce. And the question is: Can a cold marriage revive? Why stay together?”
It’s a question thousands of couples are asking in this era of soaring divorce and cohabitation rates and same-sex marriage battles. This is why so many national pro-marriage groups such as Focus on the Family, Outreach, FamilyLife, The Marriage CoMission and others are endorsing the movie and encouraging their members to see it. And because firefighters have one of the nation’s highest divorce rates, Fireproof has also received the support of many firefighters and related organizations.
Their enthusiasm is encouraging. Fireproof is the third feature film for tiny Sherwood Pictures, which is the movie-making ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. Their most recent film, Facing the Giants, was made in six weeks on a budget of only $100,000 and relied on volunteer actors from their own congregation. Miraculously, the movie was optioned by Provident Films and shown in 441 theaters across the U.S., eventually earning more than $10 million at the box office.
After such a huge success, the Leadership Team of Sherwood Pictures, Senior Pastor Michael Catt, Executive Pastor Jim McBride and the Kendrick brothers, began asking God for direction on a new film. The team sensed that God wanted their third film to deal with the issues couples face in everyday marriage.
“We weren’t planning to go down this pathway,” said Stephen Kendrick of Sherwood Pictures, in a press release, “but after months of prayer, the Lord clearly led us to go after this issue through a compelling story that we hope captures the hearts of both women and men.”
Terri Catt, casting director for Sherwood Pictures, admits that it was hard to follow a hit movie like Facing the Giants. “When the marriage theme first came up, we were unsure. But when you see it’s a love story about a married couple – you don’t see that often in movies. The movie is so romantic. . . . it’s a love story disguised as a fireman’s story.”
Like its predecessors, Fireproof was made on a minimal budget with all-volunteer actors and mostly all-volunteer crew. Among the exceptions were producer David Nixon, director of photography Bob Scott and sound technician Rob Whitehurst, all film veterans who worked on the movie for much less than their usual salaries.
“We’re not here to make money,” Nixon said in a press release. “This is much bigger than us. Other movie sets are not like this. There’s a spirit of unity here. I’m humbled to be a part of something God wants to use. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Their spirit of unity was put to the test when, halfway through the filming, one of the cameramen was killed in a car accident. Filming was cancelled as everyone – crew, ministers and members of the church – traveled to the man’s home in Florida to comfort his wife, who was pregnant with their first child.
The church is now looking forward to the film’s release and, God willing, many more ministry opportunities to come.
“We don’t do this so that people will pat us on the back,” said Pastor Michael Catt. “We do this for the glory of God.”
For more information about Fireproof, visit www.FireprooftheMovie.com
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