Los Angeles, CA (August 19, 2022)
Damascus Road Productions, Uptone Pictures, and SaltShaker Media have announced the upcoming theatrical release of Paul’s Promise. The inspiring biopic of hope, faith and racial reconciliation is slated to open in 200+ markets on Oct. 21 through Integrity Releasing with Home Entertainment release to launch on Dec. 6. The film stars Linda Purl, Nancy Stafford, Ryan O’Quinn, Shari Rigby, Josef Cannon and Dean Cain.
Paul’s Promise is the debut project to be released under the newly-announced Damascus Road multi-picture pact with film executive, producer and financier Mike Ilitch, Jr., who has committed to a slate of films, many already in the production and distribution process, with a broad forthcoming slate to also soon be announced.
“Inspiring audiences through entertainment has always been a goal for our companies,” said Ilitch. “This true story of one man’s journey of transformation that impacted generations fits perfectly with our brand and the stories we are sharing with the world.”
Paul’s Promise is a powerful and timely biopic about the former racist firefighter-turned-pastor in the height of the 1960s Civil Rights movement.
“It is truly a highlight of my career to bring this story to the big screen,” says O’Quinn. “One man’s decision to serve God and stand up to injustice continues to make a huge impact on his community to this day.”
The film chronicles Paul Holderfield, Sr.’s life, who was raised poor and knew what it was like to go to bed hungry and hear his mother pray at night for food for her children.
In the 1950’s, during the Little Rock Central High School crisis, Holderfield was a North Little Rock fireman and remembers turning his back on a Black man, hoping he would not recognize him, but he did. His childhood best friend Jimmy Lipkin approached Paul for a handshake, but Holderfield put his hands in his back pockets and refused to shake Lipkin’s hand.
Later convicted by his actions, Holderfield told his wife Barbara that he would never again treat a human being that way. Ultimately, Holderfield started Friendly Chapel and F.L.A.M.E. (Feeding and Loving All Men Equally) to help others and spent the rest of his life giving back to anyone in need. As he put it: “We came into the neighborhood when they did not want us and stayed until they could not do without us.”
Fully dedicated to meeting people’s needs, Holderfield built an organization that has been serving others for 30+ years, meeting the nutritional (through a soup kitchen/food pantry) emotional, physical (clothing, shelter), spiritual and health needs of others 24/7, 365 days a year.
“Paul’s Promise shares the hope and healing of Holderfield’s life during a troubled time in our Nation’s history,” says Executive Producer Nick Logan. “His life’s work continues to this day through his family and his son, Paul Holderfield, Jr.”
Visit: www.paulspromisemovie.com