Great American Family will premiere eight new movies this summer as part of its first-ever "Great American Summer" event beginning Saturday, Aug. 5, the network says.
The Hallmark rival is well-known for its Christmas movies but announced July 26 a new slate of summer movies, saying, "summer is more than sunshine, adventure and getting a tan."
"It's also a time for carefree, heartfelt movies," Great American Family said in a news release.
Three of the films are Pure Flix originals. Bill Abbott, CEO of Great American Media, told Christian Headlines that the company's recent merger with Pure Flix will benefit customers. He noted that the two brands will be distinct while also sharing some content.
"Right away, we want to capitalize on the ability to have content across both platforms," Abbott told Christian Headlines. "... [But] we want to have content that's differentiated across both platforms so the experience isn't exactly a mirror image of one another."
Following is the list of the eight movies as part of Great American Summer:
- Romance at the Vineyard: "A charismatic sales representative (Tim Ross) tries to convince the proprietors of a family vineyard to sell their property. Things get complicated when he gets pulled into helping the family's granddaughter (Susie Abromeit) create a new blend to save the winery." Saturday, Aug. 5.
- Love on Repeat: "When architect Amber (Jen Lilley) finds herself in limbo, re-living the same day repeatedly, she attempts to make changes in her professional and personal life that will save her from the cycle." It also stars Andrew Lawrence. Monday, Aug. 7
- Unlikely Angel: "Janie (Jillian Murray) is a power player in the boardroom but is falling apart at the thought of becoming a new mom. A silent prayer is answered when an Angel intervenes and fast forwards her life so she can learn to trust God and her purpose." A Pure Flix original, the film will have its cable TV premiere Saturday, Aug. 12.
- Wedding Cake Dreams. "As a young girl, Carrie Watson (Donna Benedicto) placed a piece of wedding cake under her pillow because her mother told her the tradition would make her love dream come true. Two decades later, Carrie is shocked to discover the man she dreamed about is at her younger sister's wedding." Monday, Aug. 14.
- Summertime Soulmates. "A conventional curator facing financial crises (Jenna Michno) works with an avant-garde artist (Christian Howard) to develop an unconventional exhibit." Saturday, Aug. 19.
- Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters. "A wealthy businessman (Bart Johnson) learns of his daughter's (Carrie Alexander) sudden engagement to a missionary and makes it his mission to make sure she is closer to home. When his efforts go awry, he is forced to reconsider what being a strong father really means." A Pure Flix original, the film will have its cable TV premiere Monday, Aug. 21.
- Dream Wedding: "Sisters Kate (Rebecca Dalton) and Megan (Christa Taylor Brown) attend a local wedding fair and jokingly enter Kate in a raffle for a dream wedding package, though she has no current plans to marry. When Kate wins, the sisters must put on a show or be mortified by the joke gone awry." Saturday, Aug. 26.
- Learning to Love: "Harry (Philip Boyd) and his two daughters lose faith after his wife and daughters' mom passes. The family hires a nanny and are pleasantly surprised by Steph (Ina Barrón) who brings never-ending warmth, positivity, and faith into the home." A Pure Flix original, the film will have its cable TV premiere Saturday, Sept. 2.
Related:
Great American Family Champions Faith, CEO Says: 'We Really Want to Reinforce' it
Photo courtesy: ©Great American Family, used with permission.
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.