Relativity To Release Faith-Based Film ‘Hillsong–Let Hope Rise’

EXCLUSIVE: Relativity Studios will distribute the currently titled Hillsong–Let Hope Rise, a film that will be released nationwide May 29. It’s a co-production between Cantinas Entertainment, Grace Hill Media and MediaWeaver Entertainment.

Directed by Michael John Warren (helmed Jay-Z’s Fade To Black) chronicles the unlikely rise of the Australian-based Christian band, Hillsong United, which originated in the Hillsong Church. The music is so popular it is estimated that on any given Sunday, more than 50 million churchgoers around the world are singing their songs. Led by Joel Houston, son of Hillsong Church founders and global senior pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston, all of Hillsong United’s band are volunteers or employees of the church. Their latest album, Zion, reached #1 on the iTunes albums charts and produced the hit Oceans, which topped Billboard’s Christian singles chart for 45 straight weeks. The film follows the band as they labor to record their next album and explores the history of Hillsong, a 30-year journey from a tiny church in the Sydney suburbs to a vibrant international ministry. The movie culminates in a transformational concert experience spotlighting the humble hearts behind this worldwide sensation.

Matt Alvarez is overseeing for Relativity. “Chronicling this Christian band’s humble beginnings to their present day worldwide ministry is truly remarkable and worthy of their story being told on the big screen,” he said.

The film is produced by Jonathan Bock of Grace Hill Media, Matthew Weaver and Ben Field. Weaver, whose productions include Rock Of Ages and Jiro Dreams Of Sushi, has a first look with Relativity for his MediaWeaver Entertainment. B. Wayne Hughes, Jr. and Greg Campbell of Cantinas Entertainment, which is financing the feature, are executive producing along with Phil Cooke of Cooke Pictures.

“With songs like Mighty to Save, Oceans, Lead Me to the Cross, Hosanna and From the Inside Out, anyone who regularly attends a church knows Hillsong’s music by heart,” Bock said. “And yet despite the fame and adulation, they’re still just an unpretentious worship band trying to do what hundreds of thousands of other worship bands try to do every week — glorify God through their music. How they balance that is a fascinating and surprising story.”

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