CTindex - Christian Today UK Interactive Catalogue
Culture & Youth

Amazing Grace Breaks $10Million

Amazing Grace, the inspirational movie about Britain's greatest abolitionist and leading evangelical William Wilberforce, hit a major milestone at the box office recently when it claimed over $10million USD in gross receipts.

by Kevin Donovan
Posted: Monday, March 19, 2007, 7:53 (GMT)
Font Scale:A A A

Amazing Grace, the inspirational movie about Britain's greatest abolitionist and leading evangelical William Wilberforce, hit a major milestone at the box office recently when it claimed over $10million USD in gross receipts.

The film, which first debuted in the US in late February, did so well that its production company, Bristol Bay Productions, moved the film into over 1,000 big screens from its original 791 theatre release. The company hopes to bring that figure up to 1,500 in the coming weeks.

In terms of ticket sales, the success of the movie has been largely attributed to church sales - the result of a large grass-roots campaign to get Christians involved with the issue of slavery and modern day slavery, human trafficking.

Some 40 per cent of the total viewers have said they were encouraged to see the movie by their church.

Last month, 6,000 churches participated in Amazing Grace Sunday, each congregation pledging to sing the famous hymn "Amazing Grace" during service. The day gave the film a strong draw from Christian circles.

The film depicts the story of William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd, Fantastic Four), one of Britain's chief abolitionists and follows his struggles to abolish the slave trade, including the problem of a highly resistant Parliament which felt the stability of the empire rested in the continuation of the slave trade. His eventual victory had ramifications in America's abolitionist movement.

The Amazing Change campaign was launched to coincide with the release of the film, to expose the modern day slave trade. The coalition consists of more than 75 organisations, each wanting to see an end to human trafficking and forced labour around the world.

The film was released during Black History Month to go along with the outreach and increase awareness among Americans.

In addition, Sparrow and EMI Records released a soundtrack entitled Amazing Grace: Music Inspired by the Motion Picture which featured some of today's biggest Christian artists, including a new version of the original hymn, "Amazing Grace", by Dove award-winning artist Chris Tomlin.

Bristol Bay Productions is part of Walden Media, the company that brought "The Chronicles of Narnia" to the big screen.



Copyright © 2009 Christian Today. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Google Advertisement
Externally generated - Report offensive links here
World Headline
Former Christian Peacemaker hostage returns to Iraq

Former Christian Peacemaker hostage returns to Iraq

A Christian peace worker has returned to Iraq for the first time since he was freed from captivity four years ago.
Sponsored Features
Bible Educational Services is committed to telling the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. Psalm 78: 4. To download free bible lessons or learn about Postal Bible Schools visit Enrich your love life, marriage and relationships through education and counselling. Train to become a certified marriage and family educator and change lives for good.
Google Advertisement
Externally generated - Report offensive links here