Here are today’s dispatches from the crossroads of faith, media and culture.

1. Date set for epic tale of religious persecution. ARC Entertainment has announced that the period action film For Greater Glory (formerly titled Cristiada) opens June 1 in theaters across the country. The film’s story unfolds against the true story of the Cristero War of the 1920’s.

Produced by Pablo Jose Barroso, the all-star cast includes Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria, Peter O’Toole, Oscar Isaac (Drive), Ruben Blades (Safe House), Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek, Super 8), Nestor Carbonell (The Dark Night Rises), Bruce McGill (Lincoln), Santiago Cabrera (Heroes, Che), Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace) and Eduardo Verástegui (Bella).

Says Barroso, “For Greater Glory is a powerful true story that has been a passionate project for all those involved,” said Barroso. “We’re proud to be working with ARC Entertainment, who shares our passion for the film.”

Synopsis (per the press release): What would you pay for the price of freedom? In FOR GREATER GLORY, an impassioned group of men and women each make the decision to risk it all for family, faith and the very future of their country, as General Gorostieta (Garcia), the retired military man who at first thinks he has nothing personal at stake as he and his wife (Longoria) watch Mexico fall into a violent civil war. Yet the man who hesitates in joining the cause will soon become the resistance’s most inspiring and self-sacrificing leader, as he begins to see the cost of religious persecution on his countrymen… and transforms a rag-tag band of rebels into a heroic force to be reckoned with. The General faces impossible odds against a powerful and ruthless government. Yet it is those he meets on the journey – youthful idealists, feisty renegades and, most of all, one remarkable teenager named Jose – who reveal to him how courage and belief are forged even when justice seems lost.

Here’s the trailer (albeit with the previous title):

2. Mann on a Mission. The family/faith-based film financing and distribution company Mission Pictures International has named Travis Mann as its new  head of production.

Mann, a producer and entertainment attorney specializing in the finance, development and production of feature films, says “Mission’s growth over the past few years has been phenomenal,” adding “The next step for Mission is to ramp up its own production slate and I’m very pleased to be working with (MPI founders) Cindy Bond and Chevonne O’Shaugnessy to accomplish that goal.”  

“We are so excited to have Travis be a part of our team,” Bond comments. “Based on our past experience working with him combined with his extensive background and knowledge, we know he will be an incredible asset to Mission Pictures.”

Mann began his career working as a production assistant on Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July and JFK.  Shortly after law school, he worked at Walt Disney Pictures and Rosenfeld, Meyer & Susman, LLP where he represented Warner Bros. and New Regency, as well as a host of independent producers and production companies.  He later acted as head of business affairs and business development for Crystal Sky Pictures, Inferno Entertainment and Infinity Films.  In addition, he has optioned his original pitches Camp Woodward to Storyline Entertainment and Disney, Fearless to Rob Schneider and Sony, and Smoke to Bruce Willis and Cheyenne Enterprises, and his screenplays Godspeed and Nuclear One recently won national screenwriting competitions.

Mission Pictures’ slate of films includes Seven Days in Utopia starring Robert Duvall, The Fifth Quarter starring Aidan Quinn, Like Dandelion Dust starring  Mira Sorvino, Letters to God starring Robyn Lively, The Way Home starring Dean Cain and the award-winning pro-life film Bella, as well as the animated series Buzz and Poppy and Animated Kids Bible.

Encourage one another and build each other up – 1 Thessalonians 5:11