The surprise box office success of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" has begun to convert international television executives to the potential of religious-themed programing.
At this year's MIPTV market in Cannes, where producers pitch their projects to the world's TV stations, so-called faith-based product was elevated from its usual niche position to something approaching the mainstream.
"Programers have seen the success of 'The Passion,' and they're saying to their acquisition guys, 'Get me one of those,"' said Edward Murray, president and CEO of U.S. faith-based producer-distributor Faith & Values Media, which is selling spiritual-themed series "The Way Home" as well as the drama "Patrick," about the life of the patron saint of Ireland.
"It used to be you couldn't get onto the parking lot of a network with projects like these. Now you can."
The most popular titles are those with a close connection to the themes of Gibson's film. Devin Carter of Utah-based sales outfit Koan reported strong interest in the company's new animated children's series on the life of Jesus, fortuitously titled "The Passion."
Italian animation house Mondo TV, which has a range of faith-based series as well as theatrical movies, said Gibson's film is swelling interest in its output. "It's going to help us a lot because it has revived interest in religious subjects," Mondo board member Matteo Corradi said.
Besides a slew of biblical TV series including "The Old Testament," "St. Francis of Assisi" and "In Jesus' Name," Mondo is selling two religious theatrical animated features, "Mother Theresa" and "Padre Pio," about an immensely popular saint in Italy.
"There's a lot of interest in 'Theresa,' and we're planning a presentation at the Festival de Cannes," said Corradi, who observed that several European public broadcasters, including Italy's RAI, Spain's TVE and Germany's ZDF, have opened new slots for faith-driven programing.
Buyers have flocked to German sales group Beta Film asking about rights to the 21-episode megabudget miniseries "The Bible." Produced by Italy's Lux Vide, the $100 million project depicts selected biblical stories from Genesis to the Apocalypse and features such top-name talent as Ben Kingsley, Gary Oldman, Elizabeth Hurley and the late Richard Harris. The part of Jesus in the series is played by Jeremy Sisto.
"We have had offers from all over -- even from (mainly Islamic) Turkey," Beta international sales executive Oliver Bachert said. "Some of the TV movies are 10 years old, but people seem to want them again."
Said a buyer for Iranian state television: "I'm looking for stories about Jesus and other biblical figures like Abraham, Moses and so on. After all, as Muslims, they are our prophets too."
Added a veteran executive of one faith-based sales group: "Broadcasters who we've been trying to talk to for months or even years are suddenly coming over and asking for meetings."
Although the upside for faith-based programers in the shadow of "The Passion" is patent, it may not be clear skies for all religious fare, some executives believe.
"Christian programing has this extreme, evangelistic image that's hard to shake," said John McLean of indie sales group John McLean Media, which handles film and TV product produced by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. "A lot of the faith-based product out there isn't overtly religious at all, but people can't see beyond the Bible-bashing image."
Koan's Carter agreed. "Right now, everyone's jumping on the 'Passion,' bandwagon, but I don't think it's going to last," Carter said. "The audience is there for faith-based programing; the business has been there for a long time, but in my opinion, the incredible success of 'The Passion' is down to all the free marketing it got (from individual church groups), and that was largely because of who Mel Gibson is, not because of the film itself."