Inspirational Film 'Xavier: Missionary & Saint' to Air on EWTN

announced today that is has licensed the one-hour documentary film, Xavier: Missionary & Saint, to Global Catholic Network, EWTN of Alabama. Narrated by Academy Award-winner Liam Neeson and filmed on location in the footsteps of the Jesuit missionary, Xavier features stunning scenery from Rome, Spain, Paris, India, China, and Japan as well as interviews with world-renowned historians and theologians. The documentary commemorates the 500th anniversary of the birth of one of the world's most successful missionaries, Francis Xavier, played by Ron Garcia in the film. Xavier was produced by Jeremy Zipple and Jeff Johnson for Fourth Week Films and the New Orleans Province of the Society of Jesus. The film was written by Johnson, directed by Zipple, scored by Anthony Francis Rosado and edited by Justin Ulbrich. &'While there is some good historical scholarship on Xavier, there are not a lot of background stories,&' said Johnson. &'We"re trying to tell them.&' The experience of making the film and of hearing stories of Xavier from Jesuits around the world &'was a grace-filled part of the experience,&' said Zipple. &'I really felt his presence in a profound way.&' &'This is the story of a missionary who died alone on a desolate island within sight of the land of his life"s dream,&' says Liam Neeson in the film"s introduction. &'He was unaware that he had forever changed the face and the race of Christianity.&' When Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) was launched on August 15, 1981, many felt there would be little demand for a Catholic network. Now, in its 27th year, EWTN has become the largest religious media network in the world, transmitting programming 24 hours a day to more than 148 million homes in 140 countries and territories on more than 4,800 cable systems, wireless cable, Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS), low power TV and individual satellite users. Established in 1989, Janson Media is an independent content distribution company based in the United States, with a rights portfolio of over 1,500 hours of exclusive programming available for licensing to worldwide television, VOD, DVD/video, and emerging new media platforms. The company has licensed programming to virtually every country in the world, and its clients include nearly every major broadcaster or media company, as well as a wide range of DVD labels and distributors. Janson Media is also a publisher/ manufacturer of award-winning DVDs.