BYUtv Announces Production Of Long-Awaited "Christmas Jars" Movie Adaptation

The television film based on the bestselling novel by Jason F. Wright will air this year

PROVO, Utah, Feb. 26, 2019 -- BYUtv, a family entertainment network available nationwide over cable, satellite and streaming, today announced that production has begun on the highly anticipated film "Christmas Jars," which will air on the network during the 2019 holiday season. Based on the bestselling novel by Jason F. Wright, it tells the story of reporter Hope Jensen, who uncovers the remarkable secret behind the "Christmas Jars" - glass jars filled with coins and bills anonymously left for people in need.

"'Christmas Jars' is a phenomenon with a reach far beyond that of a typical novel, as it created a new tradition that has changed many lives over the years," said Michael Dunn, managing director of BYUtv. "It is exactly the kind of uplifting story that we want to be part of at BYUtv, and we hope that this film will bring families together each holiday season and inspire them to start 'Christmas Jars' of their own."

"Christmas Jars" stars Jeni Ross ("Suits," "Titans") and Markian Tarasiuk ("Take Two," "The Magicians") and is directed by Jonathan Wright ("Awakening the Zodiac," "Love, Romance, & Chocolate"). Produced by Muse Entertainment, filming is taking place through March 2019 in Ottawa, Ontario. The executive producers are Jonas Prupas and Jesse Prupas, and the producer is Shane Boucher.

BYUtv's original programming slate includes the new scripted adventure comedy "Dwight in Shining Armor," in which the Middle Ages meets Middle America; the long-running sketch comedy series "Studio C," which touts over 1 billion views on YouTube; "Relative Race," the first family-history based competitive reality show that follows four teams as they meet relatives linked by DNA for the first time in a race throughout the United States; "Random Acts," an unscripted hidden-camera reality show that highlights the altruistic nature of human beings by featuring real people who are the recipients of random acts of kindness; and the new cooking competition series "Dinner Takes All" that's all about food, family and fun. BYUtv is available across the country via cable, satellite and multiple digital media platforms.

For a complete listing of BYUtv's programming and to view full episodes, visit www.byutv.org.

About BYUtv

BYUtv provides families more than 1,700 hours of entertaining and compelling programming they can enjoy together. The network's content is trusted, contemporary and clean, yet clever and sophisticated enough to inspire children and parents alike. BYUtv's diverse portfolio of original, co-produced and acquired content includes scripted and unscripted dramas and comedies, 700+ hours of live HD collegiate sports, game shows, and holiday special made-for-tv movies, docudramas and concerts. BYUtv is available in 50 million homes in every state of the country on DISH Network, DirecTV and 146 other major cable systems. A digital pioneer, BYUtv was the first U.S. television network to stream all of its content live and unencrypted over the internet. Today, BYUtv has over 1 million YouTube subscribers and 1 billion views and is available live and on-demand on multiple digital platforms free of charge, including Apple TV, YouTube, Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Xbox One, Windows Media, digital apps for iOS and Android, and BYUtv.org. Based in Provo, Utah, BYUtv is part of BYU Broadcasting, which is owned by Brigham Young University.

About Muse Entertainment

Muse Entertainment is a leading film and television production company and international distributor known for its well-crafted and high-quality productions. It has development and production offices in Montreal, Los Angeles, Toronto and Vancouver. Muse productions have won critical acclaim, large audiences, over 100 international awards, including Emmy Awards, and over 300 award nominations. Muse produces a wide range of primetime comedy and dramatic series, miniseries, television movies, feature films, documentaries, factual entertainment, family programs and animation.