New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers has published numerous novels—all bestsellers—and she has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe.

Most recently, her novel Redeeming Love, has been turned into a film that will be released in theatres Friday, January 21, 2022.

The film is based on the novel Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, which has remained on multiple fiction bestseller lists for over 15 years and has been published in more than 30 languages. Francine Rivers worked with producer Cindy Bonds and director D.J. Caruso for the screenplay to ensure the beloved story stayed true to its roots.  

"It's been a long time coming. The book was released 30 years ago. We've had several different companies want to make a movie, but the scripts were never right," Rivers explains.

"I ended up working with Cindy Bond at Mission Pictures and I thought I wanted to write a script that was a sample of what I was looking for, and they liked it. So we're using that script," said Rivers. "I've been really involved in it, very closely from the beginning."

REDEEMING LOVE is a powerful and timeless love story that takes place against the backdrop of the California Gold Rush of 1850. The story centers on Angel, who was sold into prostitution as a child. She has survived through hatred and self-loathing until she meets Michael Hosea and discovers there is no brokenness that love can’t heal.

In the lead role of “Angel” is the multi-talented actress Abigail Cowen, one of Hollywood’s rising stars, who headlines the popular Netflix original series “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Cowen was immediately drawn to Angel’s character after reading the script. 

The story reflects the redemptive power of unconditional and sacrificial love with characters and circumstances relevant to the contemporary world.

"I think people need to hear an encouraging message about how much God loves them. I think it's a universal story that is always needed, that people are searching and they just want that everlasting unconditional love, and that's what it shows in this film."

Today on Connections, Francine Rivers shares with us how this all came to be, what it was like to watch her novel go from paper to the big screen and why you should check it out. She also offers a response to the criticism that some Christians have given Redeeming Love.