The debut inspirational project Saving Winston, by three-time horror filmmaker Shane Hawks, builds on lessons he learned in those previous productions, but it’s a far cry from their dark content.
The family-friendly drama revolves around a troubled teen who finds redemption through caring for an abandoned horse and includes a scene featuring the sinner’s prayer.
“It’s the longest shot in the whole movie,” Hawks says. “I felt like because my first three films were so unChristian I needed to make up the difference.”
Saving Winston was filmed around Hawks’ hometown, Eugene, Ore., where he returned after several years in Los Angeles in which his secular movie efforts did not bear fruit. “I said, ‘Lord, give me another chance and I will make films for you from now on.’” Things started to turn around almost immediately, resulting in Saving Winston.