“Widow’s Might” Gets Theatrical Release

(April 9, 2009)  It’s always a great coup to see small independant films making it into theatrical Distribution.  Daniel Millican has four feature length independent films under his belt so we asked him if it was possible to buy your way onto a local theater screen for a showing or a weekend.  His response:

Yes, although to get 100 screens is a monumental undertaking.  The term in film is called “Four Walling”.  It’s where you strike a deal with a theater to show your movie.  Sometimes you just buy the theater outright (by the four walls).  Or you do a revenue share with the theater. 

For a one-off screening, it’s not too difficult.  But to do any kind of multi-day run gets more complicated-especially if you plan to screen during Friday or Sat night.  The theaters have contracts with the studios to show it on so many screens etc… They don’t mind bending the rules for a one off deal, but Warner Bros will get pretty mad if a theater cuts their tentpole movie on a Friday night so that some indie film can be shown.

It took a lot of time and energy to do 7 screens around Dallas and Houston last October for Imposter for a Sun-Thur run.  I can’t imagine 100 screens and trying to get bodies in the seats.  It’s tough.  

When we talked with Millican it was concerning a recent release called, “The One Lamb” which, even though it was not technically ready for a theatrical release, was accepted into Carmike Cinema’s Independent Film Series which gave the film screen time in about 100 theaters across the U.S.

Now, the award-winning film called “The Widow’s Might by 19-year-old John Moore and his best friend David Heustis is following that same path.

(EXCERPT) On April 13, 19-year-old director John Moore’s independent film, “The Widow’s Might” will open in 94 U.S. cities across the Midwest and South as part of Carmike Cinemas and Dalton Pictures’ Independent Film Series. 

“The Widow’s Might”, is a feature length musical comedy produced by nineteen-year-old John Moore and his best friend David Heustis, and is the film that won the largest cash prize in the country, 101,000 dollars, at this year’s San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

“The Widow’s Might” is the story of two aspiring filmmakers with the dream of winning a national film festival. When an elderly widow faces losing her home due to escalating property taxes, the filmmakers take action, along with their friends. Through political smears and on-set mishaps, the filmmakers face challenge after challenge.

Geoff Botkin, veteran film producer and film festival judge, marked “The Widow’s Might” as a milestone in Christian filmmaking. “‘Widow’s Might’ is a groundbreaking film, even though it is a first feature film from a teenaged director. It is one of the most original high-concept features in recent film history. The story is innovative in ways that can inspire the next generation of filmmakers, many of whom are looking for ways to break out of tired cinematic cliches.” Botkin also added, “This film attempted and achieved a wholesome family message, illustrating the difficult-to-capture functional family environment…”

Read the full article on the Christian Newswire

Theatrical locations and times are listed at the film website,www.WidowsMightTheMovie.com. 

For more information, or to schedule an interview with John Moore, please call 214-934-6850 or e-mail Jennifer Langen atContact@TheWidowsCry.com.

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