Mary 4 Mayor: Regent University Feature Film Debuts April 5

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (March 29, 2021) – Regent University’s School of Communication & the Arts is pleased to announce the release of Mary 4 Mayor. The feature film, available April 5, marks the second collaboration between Regent University and Corbin Bernsen’s Home Theater Films.

The partnership provided more than 40 Regent students with the opportunity to be involved in the production process and receive hands-on training alongside industry professionals, including key positions in cinematography, directing, wardrobe, hair and makeup, and set design. Additionally, several actors from Regent’s film and theatre department landed leading and supporting roles in the film.

Regent’s first co-production feature film with Home Theater Films, In-Lawfully Yours, was released on Netflix in 2016. “We knew what to expect with Mary 4 Mayor, and once again, the experience was phenomenal for our students,” said Dr. Peter Fraser, director of the School of Communication & the Arts.

“We are thrilled that our second outing with Regent and its students turned out a fantastic film that is not only incredibly relevant but also a clear signal that Regent students working hand-in-hand with industry professionals can achieve remarkable results,” said Corbin Bernsen, founder of Home Theater Films. “We have a film that we should all be proud of and expect great things to come from the endeavor. Time to line up the next one!

Regent alumna Hannah Puder (CAS ’18, LAW ’20) shared how her professor, as part of a class exercise, had everyone in class audition for different roles in the film. “I auditioned for a reporter role but was shocked to find out that Bernsen requested me for a callback for one of main lead’s friends, Annie!”

Puder also expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to work with Corbin Bernsen, Chris Aronoff, and the rest of the crew and cast, adding: “This was a real-world experience that I had only dreamed of down the road in my career, and it all happened at Regent University.”

The feature film takes a whimsical look at family dynamics and small-town politics. What begins for 18-year-old Mary Parson as a retaliation against her father—the mayor of their town who abandoned his family after suffering a midlife crisis—turns into a full-scale war as Mary becomes the lone challenger to his re-election.

Mary 4 Mayor will be available on Amazon and Christian Cinema. The film is being distributed by BMG – Global. Visit gobmg.com to learn more.

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About the School of Communication & the Arts

The School of Communication & the Arts is ranked among the Top 5 Most Prestigious Communication Programs in Virginia (Plexuss, 2020). Equipped with a $35 million Communication & Performing Arts Center, this state-of-the-art school produces over 100 student films per year and has won over 500 national and international student film awards. The school offers on campus and online degree programs in highly competitive fields, including Master of Arts in Communication, Film-Television (Producing, Production, Script Writing), Journalism, and Theatre; Master of Fine Arts in Acting and Film-Television (Directing, Producing, and Script & Screenwriting); Doctor of Strategic Communication and Ph.D. in Communication.

About Regent University

Founded in 1977, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university with more than 11,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University, ranked among top national universities (U.S. News & World Report, 2020), is one of only 23 universities nationally to receive an “A” rating for its comprehensive liberal arts core curriculum.