Family Dinner - An Invitation to a Meal and an Invitation to the Eucharist

When Cristina (Paulina Cirillia, String Theory) is caught having an older boyfriend without her parents' knowledge, the only way to win them over is to invite the boy to a family dinner to meet them. Will all of the work Cristina puts into arranging things to be "just right" be worth it? Will she and her new love be together for the dance on Saturday, or will Cristina learn something new about real and authentic love? All of these questions and more are answered in Family Theater Productions' Family Dinner.

Family Theater Productions has been around for a long time. Founded by Servant of God Fr. Patrick Peyton CSC, Family Theater Productions has been producing great Catholic and family content for 67 years, and Family Dinner is no exception to that legacy!

Family Dinner is a great short family film, which is great for most ages, although, a pre-teen/teen aged group or older would probably benefit more from its messages. The acting in the film is great, the video and audio quality are top-notch, and the film does a great job of imparting its message of love, faith, family, and the Eucharist in a very short time.

The use of modern communication technologies featured in the movie was refreshing. In other Christian films, modern technology is only minimally featured or is not utilized in a realistic way. Family Dinner demonstrates how modern communication methods can be used both for good, and not so good purposes. The film shows how technology can be used to build up a family or to help tear it down.

Family Dinner's messages regarding the importance of faith, the truth of Christ's presence in the Eucharist, and the love of the family come across in an organic manner. While the movie is clearly designed to bring these messages home, it could also easily fit into any "family" cable network's lineup without coming across as heavy-handed and "religious". The plot is realistic to modern audiences and both teens and adults can easily associate with the themes presented.

At the end of the day Family Dinner is a great short film which can help families to realize the importance of finding one another, and God. Family Theater Productions also has tips and a study guide available in order to help families more fully explore the themes in the movie. The film clearly meets the goals of both emphasizing the importance of family and the Fifth Luminous Mystery of the Rosary, "The Institution of the Eucharist" and would be great for a family movie night!

To find out more about Family Dinner, check out the official page at Family Theater Productions and get the DVD today for $8.95 from the Holy Cross Family Ministries store.

When was the last time you had a dinner as a family? Why not use this film as an excuse to start a Family Dinner tradition?

Images Courtesy of Family Theater Productions.