This Day in Indie History: Saved!

Brian Dannelly’s Saved! went into limited release in the U.S. on this day in 2004. Produced by Michael Stipe’s Single Cell Pictures, Saved! was picked up for distribution by MGM/UA at Sundance earlier in the year. Dannelly wrote Saved! with his partner Michael Urban during their time together at the American Film Institute. They continue to work together and have several upcoming projects. Saved! was generally well-received as a smart, fair satire of Evangelical Christianity, but reactions among the religious community were varied. Dannelly staged several screenings for religious groups and used the film as a springboard for enlightened discourse. The success of this film paved the way for more serious material like the 2006 documentary Jesus Camp.

Factoid: Brian Dannelly dropped out of his Christian high school after receiving too many demerits.