Contact: Wesley Strackbein, 210-340-5250, ext. 222

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 17 /Christian Newswire/ -- The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF) has announced plans to host the World Premiere of "Abraham and Isaac," a new film starring Dean Jones, as part of its fifth annual festival. The special feature -- which brings to life the biblical epic of Abraham's call to give up his own son -- is part of "Hope and A Future," a short film series produced by Crown Financial Ministries (www.crown.org) to be used in visual media teaching solutions launching in 2009. The premiere will be held at 7:30pm on January 9 in the Lila Cockrell Theatre in downtown San Antonio.

"We are pleased to welcome Dean Jones and the leadership of Crown Financial Ministries to our festival for the launch of this powerful new film," noted Doug Phillips, founder of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. "The forging of Dean Jones' great acting with Crown Financial Ministries' bold vision to bring to the screen key stories from the Bible has resulted in an exceptional film. 'Abraham and Isaac' is a real treasure, and we are honored to be featuring it as part of a special evening that will introduce Crown Financial Ministries' labors in filmmaking to a broader audience."

Dean Jones, who has headlined numerous Broadway productions as well as six of Disney's biggest box-office hits (including 'The Love Bug'), stars as the patriarch Abraham in the new film.

"Dean Jones has captivated Broadway and Hollywood audiences for years through his celebrated performances," observed Phillips. "He is a real class act whose faith in Christ has led him to take on biblical roles in such films as 'St. John in Exile' -- and now the lead role in 'Abraham and Isaac.' We look forward to having Dean with us as our guest as we premiere this project at the festival."

"Abraham and Isaac" is part of Hope and A Future: A Crown Financial Ministries Short Film Series. Crown Financial Ministries, formerly led by financial author and radio host Larry Burkett, who passed away in 2003, got involved in filmmaking in 2007 after witnessing how many third world countries learn through storytelling. Chuck Bentley, Crown's CEO, explained:

"Our goal for the films in the Hope and A Future series is to engage hearts worldwide through the tool of visual media storytelling, sharing God's financial principles with the world's population who cannot read as well as visual learners in the most modern parts of the world," Bentley remarked.

"'Abraham and Isaac' is an integral part of our new teaching series, and we are honored to be coming to the Alamo City to introduce this film as part of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival."

The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF) will be held January 8-10 at the Gonzalez Convention in downtown San Antonio. The SAICFF is host to the largest single film festival grand prize of its kind in America -- the $101,000 Best of Festival Jubilee Award -- and will be screening 50 film finalist and semi-finalists over the three-day event. Other special guests at this year's festival will include 'Fireproof's' producer Stephen Kendrick as well as actor, Kirk Cameron.

To interview Doug Phillips regarding the SAICFF's vision to offer hope outside Hollywood by promoting an independent Christian film movement, contact Wesley Strackbein by e-mail at wesley@visionforum.com or by phone at (210) 340-5250, ext. 222. To learn more about the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, visit www.independentchristianfilms.org.