Here’s the latest from the crossroads of faith, media & culture: 06/10/24

Getting it done. Producers Alexandros Potter and Yelena Popovic (above), the makers of the acclaimed (and financially successful) Saint Nektarios biopic Man of God, have launched a new inspirational film fund called Simeon Faith. The fund is backed by a network of investors that includes the former owners of Cinespace Film Studios (which was sold to buyout firm TPG Real Estate in 2021). The intention is that the new fund will develop, finance and produce one to two “hard-hitting, relevant and meaningful” films per year over the next four years.

Potter and Popovic will serve as co-CEOs for Simeon Faith with Potter responsible for the fund’s day-to-day operations and strategy and Popovic, who wrote and will direct the upcoming film Moses the Black, responsible for the fund’s content development strategy. Florence Larsonneur, who has held senior positions at several major entertainment companies including Fox International Productions, IM Global, Recorded Picture Company and Hanway Films will serve as president of Business Affairs. The company will finance projects developed internally as well as those from external sources.
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It’s a deal. A ten year, five film first-look agreement has been reached between Angel Studios and director Alejandro Monteverde.

Talking about the deal, Angel Studios President Jordan Harmon says “When I first met Alejandro and experienced his passion for filmmaking, I felt like we had just encountered the next Frank Capra. His approach to sharing stories is always unique, accessible, and powerful…We couldn’t be more excited to help bring his unique storytelling and stunning vision for filmmaking to the world.”

Monteverde’s first film for the studio was the 2023 summer blockbuster Sound of Freedom. He followed that collaboration up with this year’s successful biopic Cabrini (about the life of the Catholic patron saint of immigrants Francesca Cabrini) which achieved an impressive A CinemaScore and was received a 90% Critics Rating and a 98% Audience Score from Rotten Tomatoes – making it one of those increasingly rare movies that is approved by both critics and the audience at large.

Casting is currently underway for the first film to be produced under the new deal, an untitled project set to begin principal photography this Summer on the Island of Malta.

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