Summer Snow’ Impacts Women Prisoners

TUPELO, Miss.—A family film about a little girl with a big heart is making a big impact among female prisoners.

“Summer Snow,” released by American Family Studios, a division of American Family Association (AFA, www.afa.net), was recently shown at a women’s correctional facility in Kentucky and received an amazing response.

Kendra White, one half of “Summer Snow’s” brother-sister co-writing and co-directing team, said that one of the film’s viewers was touched by the scene where the central character, Hallie, talks to her grumpy neighbor about his daughter who was in prison.

“Because Hallie encouraged Mr. Jenkins to reach out to his daughter,” White said, “the film was a perfect fit for those in prison who needed restoration in their relationships. It was such a blessing to see how ‘Summer Snow’ was so well-received.”

White added that four women responded to an invitation to receive salvation; seven asked for prayer for broken relationships; five women who had previously had abortions asked for prayer; and several who felt they were a disappointment to their families asked for prayer. About 50 women were present for the film.

“The film tackles some of those issues,” she told OneNewsNow.com, the news service of American Family Association. “The abortion issue comes up in ‘Summer Snow,’ as do broken relationships. … So we’re excited to see this film connecting to them on that level.”

“Summer Snow” was recently named to the top spot in Christian Film Database’s list of favorite Christian films of 2014. Christian Film Database reviews numerous Christian films and selected “Summer Snow” over many other great contenders.

Starring David Chisum, Cameron Goodman, Garrett Backstrom, Brett Rice and Rachel Eggleston, “Summer Snow” tells the story of 8-year-old Hallie Benson (Eggleston), a small girl with a very big heart. Whether baking cookies for a grumpy neighbor or selling toothbrushes to help a friend, Hallie always thinks of others. Unfortunately, her “creative” ways of helping people often leave her father, Dan (Chisum), with a mess to clean up. Dan struggles to keep it all together after his wife’s death. He doesn’t cook, do hair or know how to help his three children without his beautiful wife and her unshakeable faith in God.

In July, “Summer Snow” made its theatrical debut in Tupelo, Miss., where AFA is headquartered, and Lexington, Ky., where the movie was filmed. Then in August, “Summer Snow’s” successful television debut on UPTV set network records, becoming the second-most-popular movie in the history of the network and also the No. 1 movie premiere in 2014 among women ages 25-54. The film was also released on DVD in October.

The movie has been called “inspiring,” “exceptional,” “amazing” and “uplifting” and provides a wonderful opportunity for families, Bible studies and small groups to gather and discuss issues of family and faith.

For more, visit www.summersnowmovie.com or www.facebook.com/summersnowfilm.