Koch to distribute Cloud Ten films after church premieres

Increased film slate includes Saving God starring Ving Rhames

By Cindy Spielvogel -- Video Business, 4/24/2008

APRIL 24 | As it steps up production, Christian-oriented film producer Cloud Ten Pictures has signed a distribution deal with Koch Entertainment, the independent music and DVD distributor that also has become more involved in faith-based music and DVDs.

Koch will distribute all new Cloud Ten films to the retail market and will replace Sony Pictures Home Entertainment for North American distribution of existing Cloud Ten films in North America.

For distribution to churches and specialty markets, Cloud Ten has signed an agreement with Nashville-based CNI Distribution, a division of Christian Network International.

The Cloud Ten Church Cinemas arm will release all of the company’s upcoming films to churches before they go to other distribution channels. Cloud Ten used the church-premiere strategy for its recent installment in the Left Behind franchise, World at War. The film was released in more than 3,200 churches in North America during its first weekend, representing a larger opening than any other film that opened in theaters the same weekend, according to Cloud Ten. Based on that success, Cloud Ten plans to premiere one new film in churches every three to four months.

The next film is slated for June, the evangelical spy thriller Smuggler’s Ransom, an acquisition starring Anthony Tyler Quinn (Melrose Place, Boy Meets World). It will premiere in churches June 6 before being available on DVD on June 10.

The church-premiere strategy pioneered by Cloud Ten involves helping churches with outreach, fundraising and marketing to the community while creating awareness and encouraging word-of-mouth.

“It’s an ideal relationship, because it enables us to share high quality, Christian-themed films with the people who most want them and who will tell others about them,” said Andre van Heerden, CEO of Cloud Ten.

Cloud Ten first made a name for itself in home entertainment with the original Left Behind movie in 2000, helping to bring the Christian film market into the public eye. It is now increasing its production slate.

Currently in postproduction is Saving God starring Ving Rhames as an ex-con and church pastor. The Cloud Ten Pictures production with Clear Entertainment will be released in churches Oct. 9, followed by DVD on Oct. 14.

The Genius Club starring Tom Sizemore and Stephen Baldwin will have a limited theatrical release before its Sept. 5 church release, followed by a Sept. 9 DVD release. The film is about a group of people with IQs over 200 who must solve the world’s problems in one night or see it come to an end at the hands of a terrorist.

In development for Cloud Ten are the films Dirk and the Devil, about a young man who duct-tapes the Devil to his radiator; Camp Eden, about an unpopular teen who goes to camp to win a girl only to discover it’s an evangelical Christian camp; and Apocalypse V: Redemption.