FATHOM EVENTS SECURES EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO INSPIRATIONAL FILM “THE HOPEFUL”
Epic Tale of Faith, Hope and Perseverance Comes to Theaters Nationwide April 2024
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (February 8, 2024) — Fathom Events, the leader in specialty distribution, announces the acquisition of exclusive screening rights for the highly anticipated film, “The Hopeful.” The heartfelt and compelling historical drama will be released in over 900 theaters nationwide this April in partnership with Hope Studios and Kyle Portbury Films. “The Hopeful” features a diverse cast and marks the first long form feature from Emmy Award winning and three-time Australian Director’s Guild nominated Kyle Portbury.
“The Hopeful” is the true story of a community whose lives were transformed as they learn what it means to truly wait for Jesus. This sweeping drama, set in 19th century New England, invites audiences of all ages to imagine how hope can change the world.
William Miller’s faith is in ruins. After miraculously surviving a fierce battle in the War of 1812, Miller questions why God spared him. His search for wisdom leads to an astonishing prophecy — the world is going to end. “The Hopeful” unfolds as a story of a man burdened with the knowledge of Christ’s return. Miller’s message resonates with some – even as it is scorned by others. When a young woman named Ellen Harmon listens to one of his sermons, she is transformed by the message. And through her, witness the message that begins to take hold. Her preaching grows beyond prophecy and develops into a more holistic vision for how Christians should live and worship. We see blossoming the seeds of a new global movement of faith — the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
“This is a very personal project for me,” says Portbury, who directed and co-produced the “The Hopeful” from a script by Aaron Hartzler and H.G. Sloan. “It’s a love letter to my roots, telling a powerful human story that I am proud to share not only with those who share my beliefs, but also with the many friends, family, and colleagues in my life who hold other views. I wanted to create a work that can stand on its own, about people who anticipated something major — yet had to deal with the fallout when that didn’t pan out. That’s a universal experience, not unique just to faith communities. Everyone has anticipated something only to see it not turnout like they imagined or dreamed it would.”
For a drama set in the 1800s, one of the most unique choices Portbury made was to collaborate with two-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Jonas Myrin, who contributes two original songs with mainstream hit potential, “Hope Is on The Way” and “Made for You.” Both songs were written and performed by Myrin specifically for the film.
Specializing in bringing unique and engaging content to cinemas across the nation, Fathom Events continues its commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment that resonates with viewers of all ages with “The Hopeful.”
Stay tuned for announcements regarding special screenings, premieres and pre-ticket sales for “The Hopeful” as Fathom Events prepares to showcase this inspiring film in theaters nationwide this spring. For more information, see here.
About Hope Studios
Hope Studios, the cinematic arm of Hope Channel International, crafts and shares stories across the globe through its footprint in over one hundred countries. With content rooted in faith and values, its mission transcends entertainment. Hope Studios strives to inspire positive change through the universal language of storytelling.
About Kyle Portbury
Through one of his directing mentors, Bob Bladgen (“All Creatures Great and Small”),Portbury serendipitously secured his first filmmaking gig as a line producer on a documentary about Marvin Gaye – which put him on the road with the iconic singer’s two sisters. He soon got the opportunity to direct and produce “The Mountain Within,” a feature length documentary that followed disabled climbers up Mt. Kilimanjaro – an experience that led him to rediscover his acting training and realize that the most critical aspect of filmmaking is the fact that, metaphorically, it’s all about a character’s journey up some sort of mountain and back down again. Over the years, Portbury’s works include the short film “Swan Song,” a David and Bathsheba allegory; “Truth,” about abolitionist Sojourner Truth’s speech “Ain’t I a Woman,” that won him an Emmy; writing on a series of five minute animated shorts “Young David” for Angel Studios that collectively form a prequel to the 2025 feature film he also wrote on called “David;” and “Beyond the Search,” a 14-part faith based travel series for a global television network that was also dubbed into multiple languages. From 2015-2019, he was also an associate professor of film studies at Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas.
About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is are cognized leader in the entertainment industry as one of the top distributors of content to movie theaters in North America. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC); Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK); and Regal, a subsidiary of the Cineworld Group (LSE: CINE.L), Fathom operates the largest cinema distribution network, delivering a wide variety of programming and experiences to cinema audiences in all the top U.S. markets and to more than 45 countries. For more information, visit FathomEvents.com.
