Fireproof
Until Provident/Sherwood’s FACING THE GIANTS and FIREPROOF, Christian films fell generally into one of two groups: 1) THE PASSION and 2) apocalyptic thrillers. Then came the films from Albany GA, written by Christians for Christians, finally normalizing on screen what it means to believe in God, through Christ, in all the things that come with real, daily life. Keeping the Sherwood model, FIREPROOF had an all-volunteer cast and circled any proceeds back into ministry. Former teen television star Kirk Cameron played the lead, firefighter Caleb Holt—able to rescue strangers but at a loss to save his own marriage. His story and redemption echoed in lives around the world. FIREPROOF was the no. 1 independent film of 2008, opening at no. 4 in the nation, bringing in $33 million at the box office. That’s the tip of the statistical iceberg, including record-breaking DVD sales in dozens of languages—and it shows few signs of cooling.
