Sony’s Faith-Based Division, Affirm, to Launch Television Division
By Jessilyn Lancaster, Managing Editor
Sony Affirm, the faith-based arm of SONY Pictures, will soon launch a television division.
“One of the great challenges working theatrical projects at AFFIRM Films is the limitations of the market- crowded release dates and narrow capacity for only the biggest and broadest projects. The expansion into episodic/television content allows us to better serve storytellers in reaching an audience through a greater number of distribution platforms including broadcast and streaming services,” said Rich Peluso, EVP/Head of Affirm Films.
Peluso is a longtime friend of Movieguide®, and Affirm has worked with multiple Movieguide® Award-winning projects, including SOUL SURFER, WAR ROOM, THE STAR, HEAVEN IS FOR REAL, and MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN, among others.
At the 26th Annual Movieguide® Faith & Values Awards Gala and 2018 Report to the Entertainment Industry, Peluso won The Jeannette Clift George Award for Furthering Entertainment with Faith & Values for his tireless and superior efforts over many years to present the truth of the Gospel through Hollywood movies.
Sony executives have praised Peluso’s keen eye for content, especially in faith-based projects.
“[Peluso’s] understanding of the genre as well as his strong relationships within the faith community and with filmmakers have been key to our success,” said Steven Bersch, President, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) in 2013.
Chris Parnell and Jason Clodfelter, Co-Presidents at Sony Pictures Television Studios, are equally excited to move into television.
“We have been so impressed with the films that Rich Peluso and his Affirm team bring to the big screen, and feel that we’ve found a perfect partner to translate that brand to the small screen,” Parenell and Clodfelter said in a statement.
“We can’t wait to begin to develop series under the Affirm Television banner,” they said.
