In Luke 15:11-32, Jesus told the parable of a son who demanded his inheritance from his father, then left home and squandered it all.
The great twist of the tale is that when the boy comes home, the father runs to meet him with open arms and celebrates the son who was as dead, but is now alive.
Now the timeless tale is being told again – the same characters, the same moral, the same stunning forgiveness – but in a modern setting that makes the parable immediately relevant to today's audiences.
"A Long Way Off" from Word Films, ProdigalFilm and Uptone Pictures proves it's more than entertainment, but a movie with a message.
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"We made 'A Long Way Off' to bring to remembrance the oft-forgotten fathers," Executive Producer Gerald McGlothlin told WND. "In a lost world that sometimes puts youth on a pedestal, we must not forget that behind millions of successful young men and women is a loving father. It is our hope that by watching this movie, many estranged sons and daughters will do as our lead character ultimately does: return home to reconcile with both their earthly and heavenly Father."
The film is such a hit, it now ranks No. 4 of all Christian DVDs in the country on the most popular online Christian cinema site, ChristianCinema.com.
And now for the first time, the movie, which debuted in theaters in May, can come home to your house on DVD from the WND Superstore.
As WND reported, you may even catch a glimpse of WND in the movie itself!
In roughly the 31st minute of "A Long Way Off," the prodigal son, Jake (played by Jason Burkey), sits down to read the news online and can be seen exploring the WND news site. At the top of the page is a WND news story about a growing jihadist threat and a banner ad for senior staff reporter Jerome Corsi's book, "What Went Wrong: The Inside Story of the GOP Debacle of 2012 … And How It Can Be Avoided Next Time."
As "Jake" continues surfing, he discovers another WND news story posted on CarlGallups.com:
The film also stars, among others, Robert Davi (from "Goonies," "Die Hard" and James Bond's "License to Kill"), Edie McClurg (known from "Ferris Buehler's Day Off"), two actors from the hit Christian film "Courageous," Robert Amaya and Rusty Martin, and Jason Burkey from the film "October Baby."
Also appearing in the movie, in cameo speaking roles, are Fox News host Sean Hannity and Sid Roth, host of the TV program "It's Supernatural!" which also appears weekly on WND.
There's no question Christian audiences watching "A Long Way Off" will recognize the familiar key elements of Jesus' parable, but that doesn't mean the movie is inherently religious or "preachy."
In fact, the slogan for the film is, "We all know one, have been one, or are waiting for one to come home."
Sean Hannity testifies, "We need great faith and family films like 'A Long Way Off.'"
See a trailer for the film below: