 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(June 2024) |
| Founded | 1991 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Portland, Oregon |
The Dove Foundation is an American non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, that issues film reviews, ratings and endorsements of movies that it considers suitable for family audiences, and that bases said reviews on Christian values.
The organization was founded in 1991 as a not-for-profit organization. According to the organization's website, its stated mission is "to encourage and promote the creation, production, distribution and consumption of wholesome family entertainment". [1] Although its programs are diversified, it is perhaps best known for reviewing movies for suitability for family viewing, and endorsing acceptable ones with the Dove "Family-Approved" Seal. The organization has also commissioned independent studies completed by the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University to analyze the comparative profitability and return on investment of MPAA-rated films in 1999 and 2005. Those studies have reinforced its efforts to advocate for the production of more values-based films and have been relied upon by some in the industry seeking support for their projects. Additionally, Dove has sponsored its Family Film Festival in partnership with local theaters featuring films with its Family-Approved Seal and pioneered a pilot project, "The Dove Movie Channel", to bring free movies to hospitalized children.[ citation needed ]
The website states that Dove's fund-raising strategy of not soliciting contributions from the film industry for its operations eliminates commercial pressure as a factor in its reviews. However, The Dove Foundation has partnered with commercial enterprises. In one instance, its former association with Feature Films for Families, an on-line retailer of home entertainment, led to questions regarding the nature of the partnership. [2]
Dove uses an eight-factor content system (using a scale of 0 to 5), from which it derives a movie's overall rating. [3]
The first two factors ("Faith" and "Integrity") are considered "positive" ratings, where a higher number denotes a movie with positive character traits (for "Faith" a rating of 4 or 5 is reserved for movies with overt Christian themes) while a lower number denotes a movie with negative traits. The remaining six factors ("Sexuality", "Language", "Violence", "Drugs", "Nudity", and "Other", the last category for such objectionable content as "Disrespect for authority, lying, cheating, stealing, illegal activity, frightening scenes, demonic or similar references") are "negative" ratings, where a lower number denotes a movie with few or no objectionable items and a higher number denotes a movie with significant objectionable items.[ citation needed ]
From the eight factors a movie, if recommended by Dove, can be rated as "All Ages" (no negative factors over 1), "12+" (no negative factors over 2), or "18+" (some negative factors over 2 but with a Faith rating of 4 or 5).[ citation needed ]
From 2005 to 2007, the organization partnered with Feature Films for Families to conduct a telephone opinion poll regarding movie content. Dove says that over 4.5 million participated in the survey. [4] 300 complaints were lodged with the Missouri Attorney General's No Call unit as a result. Dove and their partner were accused by the state of Missouri of violating its "Do Not Call Implementation Act" [2] by using the opinion poll as a means of circumventing the Act to allow Feature Films For Families to market its products. The state of Missouri imposed a restraining order on these activities in Missouri in March 2006. [5]
As a result of the Missouri Attorney General's lawsuit, Feature Films for Families Inc. of Murray, Utah, and the Dove Foundation reached a settlement agreement in the amount of US$70,000 in August 2006 for the alleged violation of state "No Call" laws. [2] [6]
In September 2015, Cinedigm partnered with The Dove Foundation to launch Dove Channel, an online streaming service geared towards kids and faith-based viewers. [7]
The Motion Picture Associationfilm rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a motion picture's suitability for certain audiences based on its content. The system and the ratings applied to individual motion pictures are the responsibility of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), previously known as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) from 1945 to 2019. The MPA rating system is a voluntary scheme that is not enforced by law; films can be exhibited without a rating, although most theaters refuse to exhibit non-rated or NC-17 rated films. Non-members of the MPA may also submit films for rating. Other media, such as television programs, music and video games, are rated by other entities such as the TV Parental Guidelines, the RIAA and the ESRB, respectively.
Gigli is a 2003 American romantic crime comedy film written, co-produced and directed by Martin Brest and starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bartha, Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Lainie Kazan.
The Movie Channel (TMC) is an American premium television network owned by Showtime Networks, a subsidiary of Paramount Global operated through its Paramount Media Networks division. The network's programming mainly features first-run theatrically released and independently produced motion pictures, and during promotional breaks between films, special behind-the-scenes features and movie trivia.
Hallmark Channel is an American cable television network owned by Hallmark Media, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards. The channel broadcasts family-oriented general entertainment programming, including television series and made-for-TV movies.
The National Legion of Decency, also known as the Catholic Legion of Decency, was a Catholic group founded in 1934 by the Archbishop of Cincinnati, John T. McNicholas, as an organization dedicated to identifying objectionable content in motion pictures on behalf of Catholic audiences. Members were asked to pledge to patronize only those motion pictures which did not "offend decency and Christian morality". The concept soon gained support from other churches.
Millions is a 2004 British comedy-drama film directed by Danny Boyle, and starring Alex Etel, Lewis Owen McGibbon, and James Nesbitt. The film's screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce adapted his novel while the film was in the process of being made. The novel was subsequently awarded the Carnegie Medal.
Millard Robert E. Theodore Baehr is an American media critic and chairman of the Christian Film and Television Commission, a division of Good News Communications, Inc. He is publisher and editor-in-chief of Movieguide, a website and biweekly journal that evaluates motion pictures and other entertainment products from a Christian perspective on suitability for family consumption. He also hosts nationally and internationally syndicated Movieguide radio and television programs.
A re-edited film is a motion picture that has been modified from the manner in which it was showcased in its original theatrical release. Reasons for this type of editing may range from the distributor's demands to accommodating different audience groups. Fan-made movie edits are often met with controversy, as they bring up issues of copyright law.
The Film Advisory Board (FAB) is a member-supported organization founded in 1975 by Elayne Blythe (1919–2005). The FAB's "Award of Excellence" was developed to award quality family-oriented and children's entertainment in both print and electronic media.
The Régie du cinéma was a provincial film classification organization responsible for the motion picture rating system within the Canadian province of Quebec. Existing in several guises since the start of the 20th century, the organization came into being in its final form as a department of the Government of Quebec's Ministry of Culture and Communications (MCC) on 23 June 1983. Its roles were merged and fully integrated into the MCC on 1 April 2017. Its mandate was to classify and approve films for distribution to Quebec's movie theatres and home video outlets. Its purview devolved from the Cinema Act. As of 2010, the organization had a net income of 7 million dollars and had accumulated more than 85 million dollars in cash in their bank account.
Bloody Disgusting is an American multi-media company, which began as a horror genre-focused news site/website specializing in information services that covered various horror media, including: film, television, video games, comics, and music. The company expanded into other media including advertising, podcast networking, film, television, streaming media, and management.
C Me Dance is a 2009 American Christian thriller film, written and directed by Greg Robbins. It was produced by Uplifting Entertainment, distributed by Freestyle Releasing, and was released on April 3, 2009. It has been endorsed by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and The Dove Foundation. It has had songs written by Lincoln Brewster, Eowyn, Stephanie Fraschetti and Terri Shamar.
Letters to God is a 2010 American Christian drama film directed by David Nixon and starring Robyn Lively, Jeffrey Johnson, Tanner Maguire, Michael Bolten and Bailee Madison. The story was written by Patrick Doughtie about his son Tyler, with the screenplay penned by Doughtie, Art D'Alessandro, Sandra Thrift and Cullen Douglas. The story took place in Nashville, Tennessee, but the movie was filmed in Orlando, Florida.
Common Sense Media (CSM) is an American nonprofit organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children. It also funds research on the role of media in the lives of children and advocates publicly for child-friendly policies and laws regarding media.
The Heart of Christmas is a 2011 American Christian drama film directed by Gary Wheeler. It stars Candace Cameron Bure, Erin Bethea, Jeanne Neilson, Eric Jay Beck, George Newbern, and Matthew West. Based on a true story, the film involves a woman's encounter with a family caring for a child with acute leukemia and how it transforms her faith and her attitude about her own family.
Cineverse Corp. is an American entertainment company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Cineverse’s businesses encompass digital cinema, streaming channels, content marketing, and distribution.
Christian Mingle is a 2014 American faith-based romantic comedy film written and directed by Corbin Bernsen and starring Lacey Chabert as a woman who uses the online dating website ChristianMingle to meet a man. The film was released in the United States on October 10, 2014 to VOD. The film received mixed reviews and was released in theaters on October 10, 2014.
Dove Channel is a direct-to-consumer, over-the-top digital streaming subscription service. Dove Channel offers a library of family-friendly and Christian-based programming. The channel is a partnership between Cineverse and The Dove Foundation. Collectively, Dove Channel features more than 900 hours of new and original content, as well as classics from television and film.
The Movieguide Awards is an annual award ceremony for Christian entertainment held every year in Hollywood and broadcast on the Hallmark Channel around the same time as the Academy Awards. The awards are commonly described as "The Christian Oscars" in industry circles.
The Film Detective is an American classic film restoration, distribution, and streaming company based in Rockport, Massachusetts, and is a division of the American entertainment company, Cineverse. Launched in 2013, The Film Detective offers an extensive library of over 3,000+ hours of classic films and television series, with a focus on both renowned classics and B-movies across genres including comedy, drama, film noir, horror, musical, mystery, science fiction, and silent. Services offered by The Film Detective include a classic film and television app on web, iOS, Android, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV; a 24/7 linear channel offered across multiple leading OTT platforms including Sling TV, Plex, STIRR, DistroTV, Local Now, and Rakuten TV; and exclusive, limited-run Blu-ray and DVD releases.