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The Work and the Glory Comes to the Big Screen Work Glory
PRESS RELEASE
Nov 15, 2004

LARGEST BUDGET "INDIE" EVER MADE IN UTAH

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - The all time best-selling LDS fiction series, 'The Work and the Glory', will make its debut November 24th as the largest independent film ever produced in Utah. The film will bring to the big screen Gerald Lund's sweeping epic adventure which has sold over 2 million copies. 'The Work and the Glory' is the film that everyone has been waiting for," enthuses Excel Entertainment Group President, Jeff Simpson. "It is definitely our largest and most anticipated project to date."

Academy Award-nominated Producer Scott Swofford who is best known for his work in IMAX ("Amazon," "Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure," "Mysteries of Egypt") states, "My greatest hope is that people who watch the movie will come away with a compelling, emotional experience." Joining Swofford in this ambitious adaptation of the first in Gerald Lund's blockbuster series is Award-winning Director/Screenwriter Russ Holt. "This film," says Holt, "has intrigue, suspense, romance, betrayal and dramatic action - all elements of good movie-making." Entrepreneurial legend and owner of the Utah Jazz, Larry Miller, is the Executive Producer of the picture and anticipates that its release will be "the biggest independent film of the season."

Added to the filmmakers' expertise and attention to authenticity are the well-honed talents of both seasoned actors as well as up-and-coming fresh faces. The lead role of Lydia McBride is played by Tiffany Dupont [See Queen-Esther-Movie.com] ("Cheaper by the Dozen"), and Alexander Carroll makes his film debut playing the role of Nathan Steed. Other cast members are Hollywood notables such as Jonathan Scarfe ("Judas"), Eric Johnson, ("Smallville"), Sam Hennings ("ER," "CSI," "Star Trek"), and Brenda Strong ("Everwood," "Seinfeld," "Desperate Housewives").

"The Work and the Glory" takes the audience back to a period when America was young and brave and when families pushed the frontier westward in search of better land and new opportunities. In a daring leap of faith, these courageous settlers abandoned familiar homes and relationships in the hopes of building a better life.

Such was the case when the Steed family left their Vermont homestead to start a farm in upstate New York. They unwittingly settled in a region where a widespread religious revival created deep divisions in the community which threatened to tear the Steed family apart.

"Although the film is based on Gerald Lund's best-seller about the origins of Mormonism, our goal in making this movie is to entertain," explains Jeff Simpson, who formerly served as Studio Executive for Disney Studios in Los Angeles. "This story is about young people trying to merge their lives in spite of divisions and controversy in their families. We think these are universal themes in life and therefore interesting to many people, regardless of faith. In fact, the actors were cast according to their talent and suitability for the role. Religious preferences were not a consideration."

The theatrical premiere will be held at the Megaplex 17 at Jordan Commons in Sandy, Utah on November 18th. The film will open in theaters throughout Utah on Wednesday, November 24th, and will be released nationwide January 21st, 2005. To set up interviews with the film's director, producer, executive producer or cast, please contact Media Relations Representative Ashley Smart at asmart@xelent.com or by calling 801-303-6368. You may also view the trailer at www.workandtheglory.com.