December 6 1999

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The JESUS Film Project, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, has released its missions-focused film on digital versatile disc (DVD).

The disc contains eight language versions of the film, including Arabic, English, French, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish. The organization estimates the multiple translations will allow about half of the world's people to view the film in a language they understand. It is the first feature-length film to use all eight language channels, making it one of the most advanced DVDs ever produced.

The new format can be played on some laptop computers, allowing for greater portability to remote locations, says JESUS Film Project president Paul Eshleman.

"The future of technology is that people are going to be watching movies on computer screens," Eshleman says. He hopes to bundle the film with new computers as DVD becomes standard on more systems.

The JESUS film DVD also links with the Internet, providing biblical references, maps, character profiles, director's notes, and an interactive knowledge game.

The San Clemente, California-based ministry estimates more than 2 billion people in 230 countries have seen the film since its 1979 release.