Former U.S. Senator to Lead EchoLight Studios

DALLAS: Rick Santorum, a former United States senator who ran for president last year, has been appointed as EchoLight Studios’ new CEO.

Santorum has spent the past year helping to develop EchoLight Studios, which finances, markets and distributes faith-based family movies across multiple platforms. The company’s first film, titled The Redemption of Henry Myers, is scheduled to hit theaters this fall. Its second production, slated for a 2014 release, is based on the life of Illinois basketball player Eric "Hoovey" Elliott and will star Patrick Warburton and Lauren Holly.

"This is the right place and right time, and I’ve jumped in with both feet," stated Santorum. "I often say that culture is upstream from politics, and I know entertainment also can be strength and light for people who want to be uplifted and reinforced in their values.

"Dallas can become the Hollywood of the faith-and-family movie market. And the keys are great content and economic success," he continued, "using money from all over to build out the industry and distribute an authentic product truthful to the faith in people’s lives."

"We’re in a position with potential to transform the industry," added Santorum. "EchoLight is a wide door into movie excellence and to more of it—which is why we’re also helping to cultivate young filmmakers in the faith community, helping them develop cinema that, in many, many ways, can go further and do more."