Film explores teen issues

Actors, screenwriter to attend Burleson screening

By Monica Green/features@trcle.com

A film set for release this weekend has already affected teens and adults across the nation and will have a premiere event in Burleson at Burleson Premiere Cinema.

“To Save A Life” will be shown at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Festivities will be held before and after the screenings.

Rick Eubanks, a Burleson resident and pastor of worship and students at Oak Grove Baptist Church, said his life was changed by the sneak preview.

“I went to the show in north Fort Worth and was overwhelmed by it. I was blown away,” he said. “I personally am a film lover. I was blown away by the quality of the acting, everything.”

The film is the story of all-American teen Jake Taylor who seemingly has it all.

After a childhood friend commits suicide, Jake’s world turns upside down, and he is forced to make a decision that could change his life forever.

“The thrust of the show reminds people to watch out for those lonely and ones left out by themselves,” Eubanks said. “It’s a really strong message. It’s an especially strong message to the church today. Faith-based or not, it addresses all the issues students deal with.”

Some of the issues presented in the film include self-mutilation, teen pregnancy and suicide.

After viewing the film, Eubanks said, he was so moved by it that he had to share it.

“We have a local network of youth ministers in Burleson,” he said. “We got together and said ‘How could it be used in our community to wake up parents as well as students?’ ”

He and several other youth ministers have taken the film to different locations, such as Alaska and College Station, to host screenings.

Eubanks contacted Michael Wilson from Outreach Films and asked about hosting a premiere event.

“The edginess of it really caught our attention for our students today,” he said. “I asked him ‘What would it look like if we could pull off a premiere for the film?’

“We’re trying to train our people to see what it’s really like to be a genuine friend. We want to wake up critical Christians to be real, turn your halo down. We are actually called to serve people.”

“To Save A Life” stars Randy Wayne as Jake Taylor, Deja Kreutzberg as Amy Briggs, Robert Bailey Jr. as Roger Dawson, Joshua Weigel as Chris Vaughn, Kim Hidalgo as Andrea Stevens, Sean Michael as Jonny Garcia, Bubba Lewis as Danny Rivers and Steven Crowder as Doug Moore.

Three of those stars, Hidalgo, Crowder and Bailey, will be present at the Burleson premiere.

The screenwriter, Jim Britts, will also be at the event. He wrote the film based on novel of the same title he and his wife wrote.

“All of the actors will be there Thursday and Friday night,” Eubanks said. “The writer and his wife will be there just Friday.”

“We wanted ‘To Save A Life’ to be different,” said Director Brian Baugh. “A film made with a different approach, a different production value, with a different vision.  The film looks at real teen culture — as edgy and uncomfortable as it can be at times.  And ultimately, the goal was to make a quality film that would be authentic — something teens would really relate to — with characters and a story that had credibility.”

Samuel Goldwyn Films is working in association with Outreach Films and New Song Pictures to market, promote and publicize the movie.

Goldwyn has released some of the most distinguished inspirational entertainment in recent years, including 2008’s highest grossing independent film “Fireproof,” and “Facing the Giants” and “Amazing Grace.”

“We are confident that ‘To Save A Life’ will continue our proven track record of releasing faith based films,” said Peter Goldwyn, vice president of acquisitions, in a press release. “The success of which reaffirms the need for inspiring entertainment. ‘To Save A Life’ is not only deeply moving but also entirely engaging. Brian and Jim have done a great job of really depicting the challenges that today’s youth face.”