John Ware

In a city where major film studios and production companies are the norm, small, independent films based on the Bible stories have a competition of their own. Contemporary scripts based on Bible verses will be presented at the eighth annual 168 Film Festival, slated for Friday at the Hope Theatre in San Fernando and March 27 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. More than 65 films were submitted from all over the world, including work by African, Indonesian, Mexican and Israeli film teams, and from 16 U.S. states.

Producers have taken Bible verses and created 11-minute shorts inspired by the theme “Family Business” in the seventh annual 168 Film Festival. Whether it’s joy over a birth or sorrow over a prodigal son, it’s all family business, said John David Ware, founder and director of the festival. “We’ve chosen a wide theme to encompass all the films we expect to get,” Ware said. “Films are about the family’s happy times and how they handle the problems.