CDI's 'Forty Nights' Releases Nationwide Today, Earns Four Nominations at Largest 'Faith' Festival

LANSING, Mich. - April 4, 2017 - PRLog -- The digitally remastered 'Forty Nights,' the gritty story of Jesus' 40 nights in the unforgiving wilderness facing starvation, thirst and satanic temptation, is due out today nationwide and the film has almost simultaneously earned an Official Selection and four award nominations in America's largest faith/inspiration-based film festival.

The International Christian Film Festival (www.internationalcff.com), based in Orlando, Fla., not only made 'Forty Nights' an Official Selection, the film has been nominated for four awards – Best Picture, Most Inspirational Movie, Best Original Score (for Dennis Therrian, longtime CDI collaborator and friend), and Best Actor (for Rance Howard as 'Devil as an Old Man).

The ICFF, in addition to being the largest faith-based festival in the U.S. and one of the largest in the world, is the only Christian film festival with a screening during the mainstream Cannes International Film Festival in France.

More than 100 feature films, shorts, animated, student, documentary, music videos and scripts will be showcased during the May 4-6 event at the Wyndham Resort in Orlando. More than $100,000 in prizes are awarded at the festival, which is considered 'The Christian/Faith-Based Academy Awards.'

Filmed in Yuma, AZ., 'Forty Nights,' after signing with a new distribution company in 2016, Bridgestone Multimedia Group, has seen picture and music digitally remastered for today's national home entertainment release on DVD.

The film will be available at several big-box stores as well as many online outlets. It will also make its way to streaming services.

Mr. Therrian, a long time friend and collaborator with CDI, is the sound designer and musical director/composer on the company's projects.

A gifted keyboardist, Therrian's creative and technical audio work is front and center on more than a dozen CDI feature films. He is also a co-founder of a non-profit film/TV production company (www.theredwhiteandblueproject.org) and has an award-winning documentary (filmed in Afghanistan and Michigan) on his impressive resume.

Therrian's artistry will be heard on the other two films in 'The Quest Trilogy,' 'Chasing the Star,' which World Premiere's April 22nd in Grand Rapids (MI) and 'The Christ Slayer,' which recently wrapped Principal Photography and is due out at Easter 2018.

Another CDI feature, 'Wild Faith,' is due out this fall and the genre shifts for Therrian's scores from biblical to post-Civil War in the woods of Michigan

Mr. Howard, 88-years-young and who has been in show business for 70 years, has more than 300 film and TV credits on his resume and has played opposite Hollywood's most recognizable actors and actresses for decades.

The father of actor-director siblings Ron and Clint Howard, Mr. Howard has earned several honors during his career.

Among the recognition has been the prestigious 2014 Seattle Film Critics nomination for Ensemble Cast in 'Nebraska,' opposite Bruce Dern, Stacy Keach, Will Forte, Bob Odenkirk and others.

In 2014 he was named Best Actor at the IndieFest Film Festival for his turn in 'Broken Memories.'

And in 2004, two years before he joined CDI in his first turn (as sheriff in 'Dean Teaster's Ghost Town,' filmed in the Asheville-Maggie Valley area of North Carolina) Howard was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Asheville Film Festival.

In 'Forty Nights,' just as 'Chasing the Star' and 'The Christ Slayer,' Mr. Howard plays the chilling third stage of Satan, 'Devil as an Old Man.'

'Forty Nights,' directed by Jesse Low, stars DJ Perry (Jesus), who is also CEO of CDI and penned all three trilogy scripts; Taymour Ghazi (Devil as a Man); Rance Howard (Devil as an Old Man); Melissa Anschutz (Mother Mary); Taylor Nichols (Joseph); and, Shane Hagedorn (Gabriel).

The film was produced by Perry, Anschutz and Anthony Hornus.