(10/4/2006)

New Movie 'I Flunked Sunday School' Hitting Big Screen via Unique Marketing Strategy

Will release in 10,000 churches before theatrical release

HOUSTON, Texas, Oct. 4 /Christian Newswire/ -- Baby-boomers worth their salt know that Charlie Brown’s Lucy Van Pelt charged a whopping five cents for her sage, psychiatric advice. But in a real life, “pay it forward” plan, independent filmmakers Steve McCurdy and Ken Bailey, founders of Silk Purse Entertainment, are giving it away for free.

The duo’s new movie I Flunked Sunday School, based on Bailey’s novel of the same name, chronicles the journalized antics of the fictional character Lloyd Boyd. A kind of modern-day Charlie Brown, Boyd’s the guy who, as a kid, managed to flunk Sunday school, and now, in an ironic twist of fate, has been called upon by God to embrace a career as a personal preacher.

“Our picture is like an episode of ‘Charlie Brown Grows Up,’ and becomes a personal preacher,” explained McCurdy, who co-wrote the script and produced the film. “The cast and crew are a lot like the Peanuts gang -- faithful, innocent, bemused, funny, warm, charming, and clumsy ...but well-loved.”

As intriguing as the film’s storyline and its incredibly talented cast – Kevin Dean, Patty Tuel Bailey, Barbara Lasater, Stuart Purdy, Lee Walker, Clarence Whitmore, and Eve Tates – is the innovative way in which the creators plan to release, market, and distribute the film without the help of a major movie distribution chain.

“We are recruiting scores of churches in the Houston area to run the movie for free throughout the October 13th weekend,” explained McCurdy. “Moviegoers will be given a postcard with a web address outlining what they can do to facilitate the success of ‘I Flunked Sunday School’ and other projects of this kind, ensuring their production and wide distribution.”

Audiences will be encouraged to share their enthusiasm for the film by forwarding e-mail notices nationally to their friends, announcing a second “I Flunked Sunday School” screening planned for the November 3rd weekend. The goal is to have 10,000 churches nationwide show the movie for free, distributing postcards to attendees detailing how they can encourage friends and family to see the movie in the 80-plus cities where the film will appear in theatrical release.

McCurdy noted that believers want good, wholesome, quality movies, but won’t go to see them merely because they’re advertised as “Christian” films. “Ironically, sometimes people don’t go because, they fear, if a movie is labeled ‘Christian’ it might be too preachy or heavy-handed,” he said. “But there’s nothing preachy or heavy about this irreverent little film. Remember, God has a fantastic sense of humor!”

“I Flunked Sunday School” is for anyone who has ever felt that they’ve somehow failed God, and for people who ask themselves how God could let so many terrible things happen to them.

The bottom line: No one can really flunk Sunday school. With God’s help, even our failures are transformed into something worthy, and wonderful.

For more about “I Flunked Sunday School,” visit www.silkpurseentertainment.com.