We ran a steady stream of feature articles and newsmaker interviews that provided a strong boost to the Catholic marketing outreach, and we moved books into churches across the denominational spectrum to prime the market for the Ash Wednesday release.
Tell me about that aspect.Īgain, I was deeply involved with two major media apostolates back then, so I had two megaphones to the Catholic grassroots that we were utilizing to get the word out about this powerful film. Mobilizing faith communities through grassroots marketing was critical to the film’s box-office success. This is a historic time for faith-based films, and in my view, it was all made possible by The Passion of the Christ. We’re now seeing a faith-film renaissance, with successes like Les Miserables, Son of God, Noah and the upcoming Heaven Is for Real and Exodus: Gods and Kings. The controversial aspect was a mixed bag, repelling some and attracting others drawn by the prospect of this film doing what it has in fact done - paving the way for a restoration of the kind of faith-oriented filmmaking that we saw in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s in Hollywood. What kind of effect did that controversy have on your efforts? Heated controversy surrounding the film began months prior to its release. I also quarterbacked a book project called A Guide to the Passion, which created a lot of energy in the market in the lead-up to the film’s release. I was running Catholic Exchange at the time and also producing “Morning Air With Jeff Cavins” for the Relevant Radio Network, so there was a focus on Catholic marketing and helping raise P&A (prints & advertising) funds for the U.S. The studios in Hollywood had begun declining to distribute the film, which was in post-production at the time, so I arrived on the scene as the early discussions of an independent distribution of the film began taking place. During this visit, we got swept up in the whirlwind of The Passion of the Christ. In August 2003, six months before the release of the film, I was brought by an Australian friend to meet Mel Gibson and pitch him a film project about St.
You are credited on The Passion of the Christ. I recently had a chance to speak with him about movies, Mel Gibson and his passion for this landmark motion picture. Tom Allen, who helped distribute and market The Passion, co-authored the million-selling book A Guide to the Passion and went on to co-found Allied Faith & Family (AFF), a Hollywood PR/marketing agency that promotes faith-oriented entertainment.
It also created what can be referred to as “The Passion Effect” - a mad scramble to replicate that movie’s success that planted a mustard seed in Hollywood and would eventually pave the way for films like the recently released Son of God and Noah. Having raked in $370 million domestically, it was a game changer, redefining box-office expectations for “religious” movies and raising the bar in terms of their artistry. ĭespite well-documented controversy surrounding it, The Passion was a watershed moment for faith-based films, particularly how they are marketed to believers. It will be edited for television and will air with limited commercial breaks. To mark the anniversary, the UP-TV network (formerly GMC) will air the commercial television debut of The Passion on Palm Sunday night, April 13, at 9pm ET, headlining a two-week showcase of Bible-themed movies. It’s hard to believe it has been 10 years since the release of The Passion of the Christ.