A six-week Bible study — with discussion topics, handouts, related readings and leader guides — is part of a new “education package” that also includes a DVD of the acclaimed feature film “Martin Luther: The Idea that Changed the World.”
The film “did very well” in its national premiere Sept. 12 on PBS, according to Mike Trinklein, its producer.
“Ratings were 80 percent higher on that date than PBS’ programming a year ago,” he noted, and the Luther film “had more viewers than every other show that night on ABC, CBS and Fox, besting popular programs like ‘NCIS,’ ‘Black-ish’ and Fox’s new sci-fi show ‘The Orville,’ ” Trinklein told Reporter.
“Martin Luther” did well “even in cities where one might not expect it,” he added. “Among cities with the highest ratings were Seattle, San Diego and Las Vegas, demonstrating that the show was reaching far beyond a Lutheran audience.”
Although PBS has not announced plans to re-air the film, local stations — which make those decisions independently — may do so, so Trinklein urged those who haven’t yet seen it to check their local PBS listings.
NewLutherMovie.com has information on how congregations may arrange screenings of the film at their local theaters or at their church. The site also offers a sample bulletin insert, poster, artwork and the movie trailer.
The DVD-and-Bible-study package is available for $75 on NewLutherMovie.com.
A DVD of “Martin Luther: The Idea that Changed the World” is available online for $19.99 through shop.pbs.org, with shipping beginning Nov. 21.
The film also may be ordered for $17.99 from amazon.com.
Prices quoted do not include shipping charges.
Order DVD & Bible StudyPosted Nov. 2, 2017
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Unfortunately, this package does not include rights to show the movie publicly. I am trying to arrange a free congregational movie night as a Thrivent Action Team educational event and the cost to rent the movie for one night is $99 plus $32 for round trip shipping.
Do you have any way to get the rights to legally show the movie publicly for less money?
Thank you for your comment. If the film is only being shown to congregation members, the $75 package is sufficient.
What really bothers me is that if I do this I am paying more, but it is only for one night use and we will not have the DVD for future class use. I guess that would cost another $75, or we could purchase it on Amazon, but that probably has the “home use only” restriction on it.
Thank you for your comment. One of the producers provided the following response.
As producers, we tried to set up options that would be fair to everyone, but some situations test that goal. That is, our distributor originally suggested $250 as the minimum for a single screening rental; we explained that there would be many smaller groups that could not afford that, and thus created the $99 rental for smaller groups. But because that $99 offer is for the right to screen the film publicly once, the DVD must be returned. In this case, I think event fits the $75 Bible Study guidelines, which would allow the group to keep the DVD.
Every time I try to order the 75$ package it comes up $350. What gives?
Thank you for your comment. On the purchase page-
-First choose “DVD”
-Next, for “event type” choose “License Purchase Church/School”
-Choose the default room size
-The $75 option will be available