Yochanan Marcellino, Producer of "The Identical," Shares His Thoughts About the Movie

Coming to Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, DVD, VOD and Digital HD is the faith-based movie "The Identical."  The movie will be available for purchase on January 13 from City of Peace Films, Capitol Christian Distribution and Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM).

"The Identical" is a redemptive movie about a young man, the son of a preacher, who rejects his father's desire for him to join the ministry and instead embarks on a career as a rock singer. As he struggles to pursue his dream and rise to stardom, he finds love, pain, success and failure, and ultimately uncovers a hidden family secret that reveals who he really is. It's a captivating story about a family restored, and a life discovered. 

The movie features an all-star cast, including Golden Globe nominees Ray Liotta (Goodfellas, Field of Dreams) and Ashley Judd (Dolphin Tale 2, Divergent), as Reverend Reece Wade, a depression-era preacher who lives his faith, and his wife Louise; Brian Geraghty (Ray Donovan, Seven Days in Utopia, The Hurt Locker) and Amanda Crew (Charlie St. Cloud), as William and Helen Hemsley, the impoverished parents of twins who just want to do right by their boys; Seth Green (Austin Powers, Family Guy) as Ryan's friend Dino, who introduces him to the 'worldly' joy of rhythm & blues; Joe Pantoliano (The Sopranos, The Matrix) as Ryan's employer and mentor Avi Hirshberg; newcomer Blake Rayne in the pivotal dual roles of Drexel Hemsley and Ryan Wade; and Erin Cottrell (the Love Comes Softly series) as Ryan Wade's wife. 

We are honored to be able to catch up with the movie's producer Yochanan Marcellino for this Hallels' exclusive interview.

Hallels:  Thank you so much for doing this interview with us.  What attracted you to do a movie like "The Identical"? 

THE STORY WAS SO INTRIGUING,

TWO IDENTICAL TWINS BORN IN THE GREAT DEPRESSION, NO WORK, NO MONEY AND THE PARENTS CAN'T MAKE IT AND PRAY ABOUT GIVING AWAY ONE CHILD TO A PASTOR AND HIS WIFE WHO CAN'T HAVE CHILDREN USING THE SCRIPTURE "ITS BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE". THE REDEEMING VALUE IN THIS STORY IS ITS WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN THERE EVERYDAY LIFE. , ITS A BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW STORY 

Hallels:  Being a faith-based movie, what take home message(s) do you want both believers and non-believers to grasp from this movie? 

PROVERBS 16:9-THE MIND OF A MAN PLANS HIS WAY BUT THE LORD DIRECTS HIS STEPS. GOD HAS CREATED YOU FOR A PURPOSE, YOU WERE BORN FOR A REASON AND HAVE A GREAT DESTINY, IF GOD IS IN YOUR DREAM, NOTHING CAN STAND AGAINST YOU.

Hallels:  With such an outstanding list of actors and actresses including Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, Blake Rayne, and Joe Pantoliano, what was it like working with them?

IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. THEY'RE ALL PEOPLE JUST LIKE US WHO ARE LOOKING FOR TRUTH MEANING AND PURPOSE IN THIS LIFE. RAY LIOTTA PICKED UP THE BIBLE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND HAS REALLY BEEN IMPACTED SPIRITUALLY.

Hallels:  What was the most rewarding experience about making this movie?

THE MOST REWARDING EXPEREINCE WAS BEING ABLE TO MAKE A FILM WITH MY TWO SONS AND MY FATHER, HAVING OUR WHOLE FAMILY BEING ENGAGED TOGETHER. MY SON DUSTIN DIRECTED MY SON JORDAN PRODUCED AND MY FATHER, JERRY AND I WROTE AND PRODUCED THE MUSIC AND I WAS AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.

Hallels:  And what would you say was the most challenging aspect of making the movie?

THIS BEING OUR FIRST MAJOR MOTION PICTURE WAS ENOUGH FOR ANYONE, BUT WHEN YOU ADD A PERIOD PIECE OF 50 YEARS AND THE MUSIC WITH 22 ORIGINAL SONGS IN THE MOVIE, THAT IS WHEN YOU KNOW THE LORD PERFORMED A REAL MIRACLE IN OUR LIVES BY SIMPLY COMPLETING AND RELEASING THIS FILM AT THE HIGHEST QUALITY LEVELS OF HOLLYWOOD.

Hallels:  Do you have a favorite scene in the movie?

RAY LIOTTA PREACHING TO HIS TENNESSEE CONGREGATION IN 1967 JUST AS THE SIX DAY WAR WAS HEATING UP IN ISRAEL. I'LL PUT RAY'S PERFORMANCE UP AGAINST ANY PREACHER IN THE WORLD IN THAT SCENE

Hallels:  With the moving coming out on DVD, what extra features are there on the DVD that were not in the movie when it was first released?

WE HAVE 85 MINUTES OF BONUS FEATURES IN THE IDENTICAL DVD/BLU-RAY. SEVEN DIFFERENT FEATURES INCLUDING MY FAMILY'S HEART BEHIND THE MOVIE AND THE MUSIC THAT WE MADE.

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