In recent years, The Epoch Times has amassed a large following as a publisher of right-wing news articles and a peddler of baseless election conspiracies. This summer, the conservative media company hopes to conquer new territory: Hollywood.
Epoch Studios, a branch of the Epoch Times Association, plans to release “The Firing Squad,” a drama starring Kevin Sorbo and Cuba Gooding Jr.
“The Firing Squad” marks Epoch’s entry into the growing market of faith-based cinema, a genre that includes recent box office hits like “Sound of Freedom,” “Unsung Hero” and “Jesus Revolution.” The film’s theatrical release on Aug. 2 comes as other right-wing media companies are investing in entertainment, releasing content that goes against what conservatives consider Hollywood’s progressive, secular agenda.
The creation of Epoch Studios caught the attention of those who have closely followed the New York-based media company’s rise from a fringe print newspaper startup formed in 2000 by followers of Falun Gong, a religious group persecuted in China, to a prominent conservative vehicle. with content that amplifies Donald Trump’s right-wing conspiracies and messages.
NBC News previously reported that the Election Integrity Partnership, a coalition of researchers who have documented misinformation surrounding the 2020 election, cited The Epoch Times for repeatedly spreading false and misleading stories about voter fraud, as well as debunking conspiracy theories about voting machines. Dominion vote and the unfounded. “Stop the Steal” Movement.
“Given its extreme sense of persecution by the Chinese Communist Party, it makes sense for Falun Gong to produce content that reinforces a sense of persecution among Christians – cultivating a shared sensitivity and opening up possibilities for an ongoing political alliance,” said AJ Bauer , assistant professor of journalism at the University of Alabama who studies right-wing media.
On a Press release In announcing “The Firing Squad,” Epoch Studios described itself as a “storytelling platform that promotes hope, healing and growth.” The studio is overseen by executive director Sally Sun, who has overseen Epoch documentaries and streaming specials, some with religious themes, such as “Divine Messengers” and “Church and State.”
The Epoch Times Association did not respond to a request for comment on this article.
Tim Chey, who wrote and directed “The Firing Squad,” told NBC News he is grateful Epoch Studios has embarked on his passion project as co-producer and distributor.
“I’m a big fan of The Epoch Times. I absolutely love these guys,” Chey said in a recent interview.
Chey’s film follows three Christians – played by actors Sorbo (TV’s “Hercules”), Gooding Jr. and James Barrington – who are to be executed by firing squad in Indonesia. (Right-wing audiences may seek out the film in part because of Sorbo, a pro-Trump conservative activist who previously appeared in the Christian film “God’s Not Dead” and produces faith-based films through his own production company.)
“The Firing Squad” is inspired by real events that occurred in the country in 2015, when eight people convicted of drug trafficking were sentenced to death. One of them, an Australian national, became a Christian pastor while on death row and led the singing of Christian songs while the smugglers were executed. (The Southeast Asian nation is known for its strict drug laws.)
Chey was in Singapore as the real-life prison saga unfolded and watched live coverage on cable news. He said he was moved by reports of religious fervor within the prison walls: “Everyone came out singing ‘Amazing Grace’ as they faced execution,” he recalled. “I said: I have to make this film.”
Chey, who has directed religious films such as “Suing the Devil” (2011) and “Final: The Rapture” (2013), said he explored filming locations in the US – Illinois, Louisiana, Georgia – before “God opened the door.” . ” for the ideal setting: an abandoned prison just an hour south of where he and his wife live in Florida. The film, which cost less than US$5 million, was shot in two months.
“I’m proud of the look of the film,” Chey said, “and that’s all that matters.”
The creators of “The Firing Squad” are seeking support from a broad network of evangelical churches to help boost ticket sales.
“Sound of Freedom,” a human trafficking thriller with Christian themes, was distributed by Utah-based Angel Studios, grossing nearly $250 million worldwide on a budget of $14.5 million. “Sound” was a big hit in the summer of “Barbenheimer.”
The thriller attracted a conservative audience and encouraged viewers to buy tickets for others as part of the “Pay It Forward” model. “The Firing Squad” is employing a similar program and crowdsourcing for its promotional investment. The film made more than $1.8 million of its $5 million gross. online fundraising goal to “cover the expenses of TV, radio, billboards and digital advertising”.
Celebrity endorsers of the film include country singer Randy Travis and retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre, who said in a promotion that “the filmmakers would love for you to watch and hope to win 1 million souls for Jesus.”
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, a company that tracks box office data, said the growing appeal of faith-based films with overtly religious themes and more subtle messages represents a “demographic that has often been left out of the equation.” box office.” .”
“This is good for theaters’ bottom line and for movie fans looking for entertainment that reflects their values and perspectives,” he said.
But whether Epoch Studios can achieve the cultural prominence and commercial reach of other conservative, Christian-focused media companies remains to be seen. (“The Firing Squad” opens in theaters the same weekend as the kids’ film “Harold and the Purple Crayon” and a new psychological thriller from M. Night Shyamalan.)
The Daily Wire, founded by conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro and film director Jeremy Boreing, launched his own film and TV studio in 2021. Fox Nation, the entertainment unit of Fox News, runs a streaming service that hosts several reality shows and historical documentaries. Great American Pure Flix, a production company with a streaming service, features Christian-themed films that have enjoyed popular success, including the “God’s Not Dead” series.
Large companies also clearly saw a business opportunity. Sony Pictures owns the independent Christian studio Affirm Films, which produced and distributed titles such as the Jennifer Garner vehicle “Miracles From Heaven” and last year’s “Big George Foreman.”
Meanwhile, Epoch Studios’ parent company is being scrutinized. Federal Public Ministry announced last month accusations against Weidong “Bill” Guan, the company’s chief financial officer, for allegedly laundering at least US$67 million. The charges against Guan are unrelated to the company’s news gathering activities, the Justice Department said. Guan pleaded not guilty and was released on a $3 million personal bond. The Epoch Times has temporarily suspended Guan.
The Epoch Times said it plans to “fully cooperate with any investigation dealing with the allegations.” In one more statement published on its websitethe non-profit company reiterated that “one person’s alleged wrongdoing does not represent the entire staff or the entire organization” and claims that some media outlets portray it in a “false light” because its founders are Falun Gong practitioners.
The Chinese government banned Falun Gong, which combines principles of Buddhism and Taoism, in 1999 and considers it a cult.
When asked about the money laundering allegations against Guan, Chey, director of the “Firing Squad”, defended the executive and insisted that he was “innocent until proven guilty”.
“I only met Bill in January and had very light contact with him. I met him maybe two or three times,” Chey said. “But having said that, I believe in Bill’s innocence, especially since he took on a poor Christian filmmaker’s project and defended it for no other reason than he strongly believes in religious freedom.”
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
